After having "recruited" rapper Travis Scott last year, Fortnite continues its transfer window with football superstar Neymar.
The successful video game intends to multiply partnerships in sport "in 2021-2022" to enrich its universe beyond the "battle royale" (being the last survivor in a multiplayer game), explains its editor Epic Games.
If music and cinema have integrated in 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, the survival game with cartoony graphics popular with teenagers, it is the turn of sport to take a full place in 2021. The year is rich in leading competitions with Euro football, the Copa America (the South American Euro) or the Olympic Games in Tokyo (Japan).
"Sport holds a big place in the lives of our players, it is very important for us to have a sports representative in the game", explains Nate Nanzer, head of global partnerships at Epic Games, publisher of Fortnite. .
A world famous footballer and true gamer
To launch chapter 2 of season 6 of the game (updated with new universes, equipment and game modes), Epic Games will give its 350 million users the opportunity to “unlock” Neymar's avatar and embody the Brazilian No.10 and Paris Saint-Germain player in the game. “In the same way as in Fortnite, you can play as Batman, Deadpool, Iron Man or some iconic heroes from movies, books and television, you will now be able to play with one of the greatest footballers in the world, ”explains Nate Nanzer.
For Epic Games, which wanted to "set the bar very high" in its choice of sports muse for Fortnite, the partnership with Neymar "makes sense" for "several reasons".
Fan of video games who broadcasts his games live on the Twitch platform, Neymar is above all "one of the most followed personalities on Instagram" with nearly 150 million subscribers, recalls Nate Nanzer.
“Football is strategically very important to us because we are a global game with a huge player base in Brazil, in Europe, where football is not just a sport but a way of life,” he adds. .
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A post shared by ene10ta Érre 🇧🇷 👻 neymarjr (@neymarjr)
After signing a partnership with the professional American football league NFL at the end of 2018, Fortnite accelerated in football at the beginning of January 2021 by offering its players to acquire outfits ("skins") in the colors of 23 clubs such as Manchester City (England ), Juventus Turin (Italy) or AC Milan (Italy).
"If you are a big football fan, you can show your support for your team in Fortnite like you do in real life when you walk down the street with a kit in the colors of PSG," said Nate Nanzer.
Accessible for free on all media (consoles, smartphones, PC), Fortnite generated $ 1.8 billion in revenue in 2019, according to the specialist firm SuperData.
Its business model, which makes it possible to make micro-purchases in the game to access additional content (“freemium” model) has become dominant in video games.
"We have wanted to invest more in football for some time"
Is it the celebration of the French world champion Antoine Griezmann during the Mondial-2018, a dance inspired by Fortnite which popularized the game with the general public, which pushed Epic Games to invest more in football?
“I wouldn't say it was an inspiration.
We have wanted to invest more in football for some time.
What started in 2021 is the fruit of this reflection, ”replies Nate Nazer.
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If its competitor Take-Two (NBA 2K, GTA ...) has just signed a contract with Tiger Woods to develop its golf simulation, Epic Games does not intend, with Neymar, to trade weapons for a ball and turn into a sports simulation game.
"We do not plan to create a sports simulation game inside Fortnite," warns, firm, Nate Nanzer.
But the recruitment of new sports muses to continue to make the game attractive is far from over, according to the leader.
“I think we are certainly not done with Neymar.
"
