After bringing in rapping hamburger salesmen, bounty hunters, and superheroes, Fortnite will soon have an official representation of the world’s most famous sport – soccer. While big pop-culture and film crossovers typically make more headlines, developer Epic Games has collaborated with various sports leagues before addition to the game.
This includes bringing the other type of football to the game through official uniforms approved by the NFL and other skins inspired by the Air Jordan brand during Season 9. This week’s soccer-themed update is far more complex than either of those two choices, meaning that there could be interest in more partnerships with other leagues in the future.
Certainly, it appears that there is no stopping the crossover train when it comes to the hit battle royale title. The game recently wrapped up a huge crossover storyline with Marvel’s comic division, making storylines that are canon in that universe and introducing more characters into a gaming space than Square Enix’s Marvel Avengers.
The end of that season led to a story beat where characters from across various universes could join in Fortnite, making it more likely than ever that more characters from gaming, TV, film, and even the world of sports might emerge along the side the growing collection of crossover characters.
Now, Fortnite hits the pitch in more ways than one with emotes, game modes, and uniforms all from the world of soccer. The developers have collaborated with 20 soccer clubs from across the world, and players can pick from any of them when putting on the in-game uniform. Players will also be able to commemorate big moments with football star Pelé’s Air Punch emote, which is an official partnership between Epic Games and Pelé’s management company.
Players will also have the opportunity at receiving the Air Punch and the uniform by joining in the in-game Pelé Club tournament on January 20, with top players also participating in a contest for a real-life signature jersey.
Those who don’t win the emote can still buy it from the in-game store later in the week on January 23. For fans who just want to kick around a soccer ball for free, Epic Games has also added a football-themed island to Creative mode.
Players can join in teams of four for in-game tournaments to slam, punch, or kick the ball with a pickaxe towards the opponent’s goal. The mode comes complete with speed boosts and power-ups, making it a uniquely Fortnite version of the world’s favorite sport.
