Nike’s Fortnite collaboration doesn’t include NFTs, Epic Games reveals

Experience Airphoria in Fortnite: The Ultimate Sneakerhunt

Popular video game Fortnite has officially unveiled its collaboration with apparel giant Nike and its .Swoosh Web3 platform. The partnership will not incorporate NFTs as in-game items but will still involve crypto elements.

Despite the expectations surrounding NFT integration due to the .Swoosh brand, Fortnite developer Epic Games maintains its traditional approach to digital goods and does not introduce NFTs or digital item trading markets through this collaboration.

An Epic Games spokesperson clarified, “Items recognized across these two ecosystems are purely for the enjoyment of the purchaser, and aren’t tradeable, transferrable, or sellable, as has always been the case in the Fortnite economy.”

Despite that, the collaboration still involves blockchain elements, operating within Nike’s NFT-driven .Swoosh platform, built on the Ethereum scaling network Polygon.

Each user on the .Swoosh platform receives a unique .Swoosh ID represented as an NFT minted on Polygon. Through the Fortnite collaboration, .Swoosh users have the opportunity to earn special achievements on their NFT-based IDs by connecting their accounts to Epic Games.

To unlock a second .Swoosh achievement, users must make a purchase of non-NFT apparel items within Fortnite. Nike’s designated crypto wallet provider for .Swoosh, BitGo, ensures secure storage of the .Swoosh ID NFT along with any digital apparel and accessories acquired through the platform.

Although the collaboration does not introduce NFTs directly into Fortnite, it bridges the gap between the “Web2” online battle-royale shooter and Nike’s NFT-driven platform.

Digital event collaboration

The collaboration was teased on June 16 through Nike’s official Twitter account with a 25-second trailer showing the popular shooter game’s logo along with Unreal Engine and its .Swoosh platform.

As revealed yesterday on Fortnite’s website, the collaboration introduces “Airphoria,” an immersive Nike-branded experience within Fortnite’s Creative Mode. Players are called to embark on what the game dubs “The ultimate Nike sneakerhunt,” set in a specially-designed Fortnite game world.

“Calling all sneakerheads: in an improbable floating city, ‘Airie’ has thwarted ‘Maxxed Out Max’s’ attempt to add missing Air Max Grails to his already maxxed-out collection. Experience Airphoria in Fortnite and recover the lost Air Max Grails! Just for your help, you’ll receive the Air Max 1 ’86 Back Bling,” reads the official event description.

Available until June 27, this event presents an opportunity for players to earn a free in-game “back bling” or avatar accessory inspired by the iconic Nike Air Max sneakers.

The Airphoria Pack has been added to the in-game Item Shop, introducing two fresh Outfits, Airie and Maxxed Out Max, along with the Pure Sole Boombox and Maxx Stacks Back Blings.

The Airphoria Gear Bundle offers additional accessories such as the That Ice Pickaxe, Maxx Axe Pickaxe, Maxx Drop Glider, Keep ‘Em Crispy Emote, Air Wave Emoticon, Maxx Volume Spray and Airphoria Loading Screen.

The official website also informs that players who are 13 years old or above, reside in the United States and link their Epic Games and Nike accounts between June 20 at 12 PM ET and June 27 at 8 PM ET will be eligible to claim an Achievement on .Swoosh by August 8, 2023.