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Nike and Fortnite Join Forces: Is Gaming Meeting NFTs
Nike’s foray into the world of Web3 and NFTs seems to have caught the attention of traditional gaming giants, with the latest hint suggesting a collaboration between Nike and Fortnite. In a teaser shared on Nike’s official Twitter account, the sportswear giant announced the “ultimate Sneakerhunt” on Fortnite starting June 20. While Nike has previously introduced digital apparel in the popular online shooter, this particular teaser included the logo for Nike’s .Swoosh NFT platform alongside the logo of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine software, hinting at a deeper integration between the two.
Details about the Nike and Epic Games collaboration are still under wraps, but it appears to involve Nike’s Air Max shoe brand. The teaser suggests that Nike’s NFT platform, .Swoosh, will be closely linked to Fortnite and possibly extend to the broader Unreal Engine ecosystem.
Launched on the Ethereum scaling network Polygon, .Swoosh is a digital apparel platform that gained attention when Nike released tradable NFTs for its digital Air Force 1 sneakers, named “Our Force 1,” in May. In a similar vein, EA Sports, a prominent player in the gaming industry, recently announced a partnership with Nike and .Swoosh to incorporate apparel and accessory NFTs, known as “virtual creations,” in upcoming games.
While the specifics of how Nike NFTs will be integrated into EA Sports games or Fortnite remain unclear, this collaboration could play a role in normalizing the adoption of Web3 features within mainstream games. As the hostility toward gaming NFTs and token-driven games continues, bridging the gap between these technologies and popular titles like Fortnite might help dispel misconceptions and foster wider acceptance.
🌐#Web3 Nike .SWOOSH marketplace powered by Polygon integrates with EA Sports and #FortniteGame. The collaboration will allow .SWOOSH members, #EA Sports and Fortnite fans to "express their personal style through the game." EA Sports has said they will not directly offer Nike NFT pic.twitter.com/xeTvduZoMr
— VitalSV (@Vitalii11833375) June 20, 2023
Fortnite, a globally renowned game, boasts an estimated 243 million players over the past 30 days, according to third-party data from ActivePlayer. Although this number has slightly declined from its peak in May 2021, the battle royale shooter remains a significant force in the gaming industry since its launch in 2017.
By partnering with various entertainment, fashion, and gaming brands, Fortnite has generated billions of dollars in revenue through the sale of digital items like characters and weapon “skins” that allow players to customize their appearance. However, these items are restricted to the Fortnite ecosystem and cannot be traded or utilized in other games or online platforms.
If the teaser video from Nike indeed signals Fortnite’s support for Nike’s NFT platform, it could mark a significant shift for Epic Games’ flagship shooter.
