Nike, the global sportswear titan, and Fortnite, the leading online video game developed by Epic Games, may soon be embarking on a novel partnership centered on Nike's .Swoosh Non-Fungible Token (NFT) platform.
Nike teased its latest venture into the gaming universe by hinting at an "ultimate Sneakerhunt" in Fortnite starting June 20. This new initiative takes an interesting turn with the inclusion of the logo for its .Swoosh NFT platform, which signifies a potential shift towards integrating NFTs within Fortnite, and possibly in the broader Unreal Engine ecosystem.
This development comes after Nike launched its .Swoosh platform on the Ethereum scaling network Polygon. It's a digital apparel platform, first announced late last year and eventually opened with a mint for digital Air Force 1 sneaker known as "Our Force 1" as tradeable NFTs in May.
Nike has not disclosed details of the proposed collaboration with Epic Games; however, the teaser implies that Fortnite could be the next gaming giant to incorporate NFTs.
Recently, EA Sports, a division of the prestigious publisher Electronic Arts, disclosed a collaboration with Nike and .Swoosh to introduce apparel and accessory NFTs in future games. Yet, the specifics of how EA Sports will incorporate Nike NFTs and how Fortnite will utilize this technology remain undisclosed.
Despite the backlash from many gamers towards gaming NFTs, the possible incorporation of Nike's NFT platform in Fortnite could mark the beginning of a transformative phase for Epic Games' blockbuster shooter. The concept of NFTs being freely tradable and compatible across different games and online platforms could revolutionize how Fortnite's current digital items are used and perceived.
Fortnite, with its estimated 243 million active players, has seen tremendous success since its launch in 2017. The game has created substantial revenue from selling digital items in partnership with numerous entertainment, fashion, and gaming brands. Yet, the integration of NFTs could provide gamers with benefits that extend beyond Fortnite's ecosystem, potentially leading to a broader acceptance and normalization of Web3 features within games.