Ever since Fortnite's first crossover with Avengers: Infinity War, Epic has made many licensing deals, some of which fit perfectly into the game while others just seemed odd. Fans have gotten characters from the Marvel and DC comics, movies such as John Wick, Alien, Predator, and various pieces of Star Wars content. There have been oddities such as its collaboration with Air Jordon and huge successes such as Fortnite's live Marshmello concert and the Travis Scott live event. There are even rumors of an upcoming Family Guy collaboration, adding Peter Griffin into the Fortnite universe.
While the collaborations keep piling up, some fans have said enough is enough. It has gotten to the point where entire seasons of the game are dedicated to one crossover event or another. Epic Games has even started incorporating real-life content-creators and social media influencers with its Icon Series of cosmetic items. Personalities such as Ninja, Loserfruit, TheGrefg, and the latest in the line, Lazarbeam, are available to purchase from Fortnite's Item Shop in bundles offered in limited windows of time, but all of these collaborations are actually a good thing.
RELATED: Every Fortnite Crossover So Far This Season
While some Fortnite players may see the excessive amount of collaborations and licensing deals as a cash grab, they seem to miss how much these deals help the game and open doors for many more future opportunities. Yes, Epic Games makes a good deal of money from them, but that money helps keep Fortnite running. As a game that made part of its name in pop culture, it also helps Fortnite stay relevant. Every TikTok dance, every character deal, and every addition to the Icon series helps Fortnite stay fresh, bringing new fans to the game each day.
While not necessarily known for its amazing story, Fortnite has managed to keep a pretty interesting storyline going, one that includes many of these licensed crossovers. In fact, the Fortnite team takes a very Marvel Studios-like stance when it comes to the story of the Island, planning out future Seasons well in advance, though in broader strokes, allowing players to directly influence the story through events and by keeping an open ear on social media. If anything, loads of licensed IPs help keep the story fresh and allow Epic to explore different avenues that it could not do independently.
Fortnite collaborations do not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Major deals with companies like Disney and Hasbro open many more avenues to explore when it comes to bringing new characters into the game. While Disney keeps the Marvel and Star Wars lines open, it also opens up possibilities with Fox properties, as players may soon see with Family Guy's inclusion if recent datamines are to believed. Hasbro could mean the introduction of Transformers, Power Rangers, or even My Little Pony into the wonderful melting pot of a battle royale game.
Epic would not keep licensing characters if it were not working for the studio. Other companies would not be making these deals either if they did not see some benefit from their inclusion in Fortnite and its insane story.
Fortnite is currently available for Android, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.