Fortnite
After Sleepy Hallow‘s “2055” went triple platinum four years ago, Sony Music’s gaming-and-music team noticed something about the Jamaican-American rapper’s fans: They were gamers. And not just gamers, but Fortnite players.
According to the label’s internal research, Sleepy Hallow fans are 2.5 times more likely to play Fortnite than the national average and twice as likely to play games overall. “It stuck out,” says Alex Ciccimarro, vp of marketing for Sony-owned RCA Records. “Since then, every campaign we’ve worked on with Sleepy, we’ve tried to incorporate gamers.”
The latest project on this front is “The Hallow Heist,” an April 18 virtual-concert event on Fortnite in which a world designed by Sleepy Hallow with his team, employing Epic Games’ user tools known as Unreal Engine for Fortnite, led players to a new music video for “Girls Like Girls.” Hallow, 25, is a longtime Fortnite player who “came in with a bunch of ideas,” Ciccimarro says. The rapper built “The Hallow Heist” with help from his Winner’s Circle Entertainment managers, plus RCA and Sony Immersive Music Studios.
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Since the pandemic, a hit Fortnite experience can help an artist build a massive audience. Travis Scott‘s performance drew more than 12 million players in 2020, and 14.3 million experienced last December’s Remix: The Finale event starring Snoop Dogg, Juice WRLD, Eminem and Ice Spice. The user bases of Fortnite, Roblox and other gaming platforms are so potent for artists that one content producer told Billboard last year: “Just the way every artist has an Instagram account and a TikTok, eventually everyone’s going to have a Roblox presence.” Sony’s team has been especially aggressive in this space, including by arranging a virtual concert last October for British singer-songwriter Myles Smith.
“That intersection of gaming and music is a young-consumer-led trend — which obviously is super-important for us, because they’re so influential in breaking new artists,” says Dennis Kooker, Sony Music’s president of global digital business. “We’ve had a lot of young artists that have grown up playing games and know the space really well and have great creative ideas.”
Brad Spahr, senior vp/general manager of Sony Immersive Music Studios, says the Hallow world-creation team focused on a singular question: “What would Sleepy’s brain look like?” Very purple, as it turns out. In “The Hallow Heist,” the rapper’s avatar wears a puffy purple coat as evil robots armed with lasers put him to sleep, while the rest of the game involves players floating, jumping, zip-lining and racing cars through a futuristic purple cityscape. When they finally succeed, Hallow declares, “What a trip. I’ve got this song stuck in my head. Yep, studio time.” The game ends with a trip to a recording studio, where Hallow debuted his new single “Girls Like Girls.” A music video for the track subsequently came out on April 24 and landed 108,000 YouTube views in the first five days of its release. The track has streamed 1.2 million times overall, according to Luminate.
“He was involved the whole way,” says Spahr, whose Culver City, Calif.-based Sony Music team initially emphasized virtual reality when it started nearly 10 years ago, but now emphasizes Fortnite and Roblox in addition to other projects. “He gave us a lot of reference material — things we could work with to build the framework of a creative concept.”
As with all of the Sony team’s projects, Hallow’s Fortnite activation entailed a complex technology design but a simple idea: Reach gamers where they are. “It’s an ‘If you build it, they will come’ situation,” RCA’s Ciccimarro says. “The community wants to be there, and we just gave them something to do.”
Luminate has announced a new partnership with Epic Games that will see the entertainment data company begin tracking music usage from Fortnite’s Jam Tracks inside its Connect platform, marking a notable shift in how the music industry monitors fan engagement across gaming platforms.
Announced Wednesday (April 30), the agreement adds Fortnite Jam Tracks to Luminate’s growing “Interactive On-Demand” category, offering labels, managers, and rights holders deeper insight into how music is being experienced and consumed inside Epic Games’ massively popular title.
While the integration reflects growing industry interest in transmedia fan behaviour, particularly in the gaming space, Luminate has confirmed that Jam Tracks streaming data from Fortnite will not be counted toward Billboard charts.
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The new feature builds on Luminate’s 2024 mid-year report, which found that tracks featured in Fortnite Festival announcements saw an average 8.7% lift in on-demand audio streams the day after being announced. The company’s 2024 year-end report also highlighted streaming gains for Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice, and Juice WRLD, following their involvement in Fortnite Remix, a month-long music activation held in November 2024.
“Luminate is committed to serving the entire entertainment ecosystem with valuable data and insights,” said Luminate CEO Rob Jonas in a statement.
“In today’s increasingly transmedia landscape, where technology is blurring the lines of content and fan experiences across platforms, it’s more important than ever to understand engagement and audience trends in the gaming space and how they overlap with music consumption.”
“We’re witnessing the rise of interconnected experiences, and understanding how audiences interact with these across games, music, and other mediums is crucial. We’re delighted that our new partners at Epic Games understand this need, and we look forward to developing this partnership as the convergence of music and gaming evolves.”
Emily Levy, director of music, talent and influencer at Epic Games, said the partnership will help creators and artists better understand the impact of in-game music experiences.
“Music in Fortnite gives players an authentic way to experience iconic songs through self-expression, creation, discovery and play,” she said. “We look forward to continuing to work with the music industry to tap into unique and immersive ways to connect with new and existing fans.”
Interactive On-Demand streams from Fortnite’s Jam Tracks are currently not a Billboard chart-eligible metric.
Brooklyn rapper Sleepy Hallow has announced “The Hallow Heist,” an immersive concert event in Fortnite, developed in partnership with Sony Music and his label, RCA Records. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Premiering on April 18, the event will take place on a custom island tailored to […]
On Fortnite Festival‘s first anniversary, the popular music-focused game is sharing stats from its first 12 months of play and unveiling an “all-access weekend” for users to celebrate the milestone. According to a blog post published Tuesday (Dec. 10), Fortnite Festival players smashed more than one trillion Gems on tracks from 236 artists and played […]
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Fortnite is taking your character’s footwear game to another level.
At this point, the question should be, what’s not in Fortnite? Beginning today, the ridiculously popular video game will introduce its latest feature, a virtual sneaker wardrobe led by Nike and Jordan Brand that will introduce iconic silhouettes and custom designs into the game.
To kick things off, players can use their V-Bucks to virtually scoop up a pair of Nike Cortez Leather OG, Nike Air Foamposite One “Galaxy,” Nike Shox R4 “Comet Red,” and Fortnite’s exclusive Chomp Stompers.
Jordan Brand takes flight beginning November 22 through November 26, and players can virtually cop sneakerhead favorites like the Air Jordan 3 Retro “Palomino,” Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement-Gray,” Air Jordan 11 “Bred,” and Air Jordan 4 Retro “Manila.” Select sneakers, notably the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” and Air Jordan 11 “Bred,” will also be available.
According to HypeBeast, the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” already had a “shock drop” release, and the Air Jordan 11 “Bred” will launch in the game and physical stores simultaneously.
This news follows our initial reporting that the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe Reimagined” will be part of the Season 2 Remix Pass and a new “Show ‘Em Off” emote, available from November 21 through December 1.
All of the kicks will be available to over 500 existing Fortnite skins, with Epic Games pushing for compatibility with 95% of all skins by spring 2025, giving players even more stylish options for their favorite Fortnite skins.
Fortnite Chapter 2: Remix also introduced Eminem, Ice Spice, Juice WRLD, and Snoop Dogg as playable skins.
Now is a good time if you’re looking for an opportunity to jump back into Fortnite. You can see more photos of the in-game kicks in the gallery below.
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Source: Epic Games / Fortnite / Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe Reimagined”
The Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe Reimagined” is one of the more popular silhouettes of Michael Jordan’s first signature sneaker is coming back to Fortnite.
As part of the Fortnite Chapter 2 Remix, Epic Games is introducing Fortnite Kicks, allowing players to lace the characters they choose to play with the freshest footwear.
KICKS, a new cosmetic feature, will offer players a virtual footwear collection and kick things off with the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe Reimagined” and a pair of shark slippers.
Source: Epic Games / Fortnite
Fortnite also says players can expect kicks from other brands, not just Nike and Jordan, and the virtual footwear is compatible with over 500 of the most popular Fortnite drip and over 95% of the in-game outfits by the spring.
Beginning November 12, players can unlock a pair of the “Black Toe Reimagined” through the game’s Remix Pass.
In the real world, the “Black Toes” were released in 1985 and became instant hits when they were retroed. They were supposed to return on October 18, 2024, but the release was delayed until February 1, 2025, according to Sneaker News.
The Remix Pass is the new way to unlock collectibles and more via Fortnite Chapter 2 Remix. We reported yesterday that the game is rewinding the clock and bringing back fan favorites from Chapter 2. It will feature Snoop Dogg, Ice Spice, Eminem, and Juice WRLD as playable skins.
Chapter 2 Remix is live in Fortnite and will run until November 30. Epic also teases that things will close with a “finale.”
Hit the gallery below for more photos.
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Source: Epic Games / Fortnite / Eminem / Snoop Dogg / Ice Spice
Fortnite is rewinding the clock again and incorporating music into the process. Epic Games is kicking off a new period in its popular battle royale mode called Chapter 2 Remix, and some major star power will be involved.
To help launch Chapter 2 Remix, Hip-Hop icon Snoop Dogg and Ice Spice performed virtually and in person during an event in Times Square, New York. They will also be major players in the remix of Chapter 2.
The new season calls back to Chapter 2, bringing back gameplay elements, characters, and locations from Fortnite’s second chapter, which first launched in 2019.
Epic says Chapter 2 Remix will last a month and change things weekly, so it will never grow stale during the season. It will feature themed elements around the music artists involved.
Snoop Dogg will get things cracking first, with Eminem following, Ice Spice, and closing things out will be the late Juice WRLD.
Chapter 2 Remix is live in Fortnite and will run until November 30. Epic also teases that things will close with a “finale.” Of course, it wouldn’t be a new season of Fortnite without new cosmetics to outfit your character.
Here is a breakdown per Epic Games:
In addition to Kicks, the Remix Pass comes to Fortnite packed with over 70 new in-game rewards! A shorter Battle Pass than usual, you can unlock all the Pass’ rewards in just four weeks. Grab the Remix Pass for 950 V-Bucks (or included as part of your Fortnite Crew subscription) and earn up to 1,000 V-Bucks by progressing it!
Level up the Remix Pass by earning XP across Fortnite Battle Royale, creator-made islands, LEGO® Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival. Here are the nostalgically new Outfits in the Pass:
Chaos Director (unlocked right away!): Chaos reigns.
1-Ball: Sink all the right shots.
Undercover Skye: She’s got the Guff stuff.
Meowdas: One classy cat.
Dynamo TNTina: Strike a match and light the fuse.
So what are you waiting for? Boot up Fortnite, and drop it like it’s hot in Chapter 2 Remix. To learn more about it, head here.
From virtual music experiences headlined by The Weeknd to exclusive skins inspired by Ariana Grande, pop music and gaming have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship via Fortnite Battle Royale.
Now, with the announcement of its new season on Friday (Nov. 1), Fortnite is looking to infuse hip-hop into its gaming universe. Arriving on Saturday (Nov. 2), Fortnite Battle Royale‘s Chapter 2 Remix will feature iconic music and looks from hip-hop stars Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice and Juice WRLD. In the new season, players can engage with each artist through themed gameplay locations launching each week of November — a first for the game. Fortnite‘s millions of players can also don individual Fortnite Shop outfits inspired by each of the four artists.
On Friday evening, Snoop Dogg and Ice Spice surprised New Yorkers in Times Square with a surprise performance, taking over nearly every billboard in the center of the Big Apple. Ice Spice kicked things off in her trademark ginger inches and a hot pink ensemble, delivering renditions of “In Ha Mood” and “Princess Diana.” Donning a fly black leather jacket and pants combo, Snoop repped the West Coast with a lively, Fortnite name-checking medley of “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” “The Next Episode,” “Gorgeous” and “What’s My Name?” To close out the show, the two emcees joined each other onstage to debut the flashy new trailer for Chapter 2 Remix, which features sneak peeks at the worlds the different rappers will preside over in the game.
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Snoop Dogg — who recently announced his forthcoming Dr. Dre-helmed Missionary LP (due Dec. 13) — will kick off the first week as the official icon for season 6 of Fortnite. Snoop will assume a boss role and have his own mythic weapon and different points of interest on the map, as will Ice Spice, Eminem and Juice WRLD in subsequent weeks. “My son Cordell’s a big Fortnite player with me, so when we had the opportunity we jumped on it as a new way to connect with my sound and style,” the Long Beach rap icon said in a press release. “Anyone can be Snoop in Fortnite.”
Juice WRLD — a new-gen rap star who tragically passed on Dec. 8, 2019 — will make his Fortnite debut beginning Nov. 21, when the “Lucid Dreams” rapper will lead week four of the new season. On Nov. 30 at 2:00 p.m. ET, Fortnite will launch a Remix: The Finale live event in celebration of Juice’s legacy and his love for Fortnite. All players who log in between 1:00 a.m. ET on Nov. 30 and 1 a.m. ET on Dec. 1 will receive the cel-shaded Slayer Juice WRLD Outfit. The Party Never Ends, Juice WRLD’s latest posthumous album, is due Nov. 22 via Grade A Productions and Interscope Records.
“You will see some really interesting ways of integrating music,” Emily Levy, director of strategic partnerships, exclusively tells Billboard. “And we are debuting music at different points of the season in interesting places.”
Ice Spice will bookend her 2024 by leading week three (beginning Nov. 14), during which she’ll bring fans “into her experience as the Princess of New York,” according to the release. This year, the Bronx rapper dropped her debut studio album — Y2K! — which reached No. 18 on the Billboard 200 and spawned “Think U the S–t (Fart)” her highest-peaking unaccompanied Billboard Hot 100 entry at No. 40.
Eminem has already had a massive 2024 with the release of his The Death of Slim Shady LP, and he’s set to close out the year by bringing some of that success to Fortnite as the key artist for the second week of the season, beginning Nov. 7. The 15-time Grammy winner originally debuted in Fortnite in December 2023, which spawned the release of his Fortnite Radio compilation featuring classics like “The Monster” and “Not Afraid.” The set reached No. 19 on Top Album Sales and debuted at No. 8 on Top Vinyl Albums on the charts dated March 30, 2024.
Sneaker culture is also a close relative to hip-hop, and Fortnite hasn’t forgotten about the sneakerheads. Chapter 2 Remix will also introduce Kicks, a new type of cosmetic included as part of the Remix Pass that will drop in the Fortnite Shop on Nov. 12. The initial lineup of Kicks will feature Nike and Jordan brands alongside Fortnite originals.
Fortnite‘s new season continues a year that has already featured in-game concerts and festival performances from superstars such as Karol G, Billie Eilish and Metallica.
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Source: Epic Games / Fortnite / ESPN Football Isand
Disney is taking full advantage of its $1.5 billion investment into Epic Games.
On Tuesday, ESPN Football Island launched in Epic Games ridiculously popular video game Fortnite. The first island is all about the pigskin, allowing the sports network to expand on its slogan of “serving sports fans anytime, anywhere.”
A description for the latest addition to Fortnite reads, “With persistent progression and exclusive island-specific unlockable cosmetics, this all-new experience features multiple activities, challenges, and minigames all built around the Island centerpiece – Touchdown Rush, a multiplayer competitive ‘Payload Push’ take on football gameplay.”
When players enter ESPN Football Island, they will hear Sportscenter hosts Randy Scott and Gary Striewsk, while SportsCenter” and NHL content host Arda Öcal will serve as the island’s announcer.
Here is a full breakdown of what you can do while visiting ESPN Football Island per Variety:
Touchdown Rush: Team up with friends and enter the stadium to navigate rocky terrain, a lava moat, and the other team! Avoid getting taken out by the competition as your team moves a giant football downfield, and then defend your endzone as you switch to defense!
Ocho Obstacle Sprint: Navigate a challenging obstacle course across platforms high above the stadium for incredible views and rewards as you leap to the center of the Jumbotron, featuring EPSN8 The Ocho!
The Boxtagon – Enter ‘The Boxtagon’ and face off 1v1 against other players in high-intensity box fights, in collaboration with the UFC!
Minigames & Activities: Test your throwing arm with Quarterback Challenge, launch your avatar across the arena on an ATV in Field Goal Jump, grind around the island in Rail Race, and show off your moves in the Dance Off Zone!
Level Up to Redeem ESPN Football Store Exclusives – Earn rewards across gameplay sessions to unlock new loadouts exclusive to ESPN Football Island.
According to Disney and Epic Games, ESPN Football Island will receive “regular updates” and will “celebrate the biggest moments and games this football season, including promo reels and live ESPN News Ticker updates.”
Peep the trailer below.
Gamers rejoice! Karol G is bringing the rhythm to Fortnite Festival season 5, set to run from Aug. 16 to Nov. 2.
The one-of-a-kind playable concert Karol G MSB Fortnite, created by Magnopus, is a five-part visual journey through the Colombian artist’s life and music career, available from 3 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 23 until midnight on Aug. 26. The setlist available to play in the game are “Oki Doki,” “Provenza (Remix),” “Cairo” and the Peso Pluma-assisted “QLONA.”
The “Bichota” singer first teased the Fortnite collaboration on her Instagram story on Wednesday (Aug. 14). “This is so amazing!!! Something incredible is coming with Fortnite Festival,” she wrote in the preview.
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“This season’s Premium Reward Track (available to purchase for 1,800 V-Bucks) lets fans unlock Karol G-themed items including the Bichota Season Karol G Outfit, the Bichota Mic, and the Bichota 6-String Guitar,” notes the official Fortnite post. “In terms of gameplay, fans can collect EmPower-Ups in the music experience to blast away negative energy and spread positive vibes in this neon-drenched party.”
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Those interested in catching the Karol G MSB Fortnite can download Fortnite for free on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, Android and PC. Fans can also access Fortnite on available cloud-based streaming services here. Once the game is launched, select the corresponding tile in Fortnite’s menu.
Karol G is the second Colombian artist to team up with Fortnite. In 2020, J Balvin headlined Fortnite‘s annual, game-wide “Fortnitemares” event on Halloween. The event included new gameplay, challenges, in-game rewards and more, culminating with Balvin’s set during the “Afterlife Party” that took place inside Party Royale, the weapons-free mode that Fortnite launched to host entertainment-related events.