Something Big is in The Works
Fortnite is a game that needs no introduction – it’s been a staple of the gaming scene for several years, and to see it branching out into the multimedia space seems like a logical step. And given the slight uptick in video games being turned into movies (most notably with the Sonic: the Hedgehog film), Epic Games might be giving Fortnite a similar treatment.
In the aftermath of Epic’s recent court case against Apple, the company has seen some restrictions in how for they can dive into mobile gaming content. To replace this loss, a report emerged showcasing a new entertainment division for the Fortnite brand, focusing on “scripted video content” outside of the video game space. Apparently, deep within some internal meetings, the idea of a Fortnite movie has been discussed.
If a movie really is in the works, we’re clearly a long ways out from a full release. Given the amount of tie-ins Fortnite’s had with the movie industry, they’ve certainly got the connections required to make something like this happen – and any company willing to take Apple to court has the resources to do whatever they want. Fortnite’s also had a history with putting out extensive cutscenes and videos for each new in-game season, updating the map to reflect whatever plot point they wanted players to focus on. The game’s still focused on being a gameplay-first experience, but the world of storytelling is something they’ve already dipped their toes into.
And even if they don’t go with traditional movies, they’ve clearly got something new in the works. Perhaps it could be something more episodic? As mentioned, Fortnite’s got a very real history with shorter videos – perhaps they intend to lean into that with something even more extensive? It’s not hard to imagine content like that blossoming into something with a stronger sense of continuity and story.