Epic Games officially announced a major crossover event for its hit battle royale title, Fortnite, with Netflix’s Stranger Things. Unlike most collaborations, this one won’t take place in the main Battle Royale modes but is set for the increasingly popular Blitz Royale game mode, a fast-paced format that was originally introduced as a limited-time event. It has now become a permanent mode due to high adoption by the community, so this is a huge new avenue for great IP integration.
Blitz Royale offers a scaled-down, fast-paced version of the classic battle royale in which 32 players battle it out on a significantly small map for a match that lasts roughly 5 minutes. This quick match time allows for higher influx and engagement from the player pools. Although there has yet to be an official word from Epic Games concerning the launch date, it has been circulated from various community leakers, the most prominent of which is ShiinaBR, that a release might happen on November 24. Such timing puts the crossover just days ahead of the highly anticipated Season 5 release on November 26, making it an incredible launch window for new seasonal contents.
A further event carries with it a continuation of a successful association between Fortnite and the Stranger Things universe and will have already brought forth cosmetic items such as skins for protagonists Eleven, Sheriff Hopper, and terrifying Demogorgon. Strategically, this move follows the most successful global assault for Fortnite. Recently, the game wrapped up a colossal, map-altering collaboration with The Simpsons that even borrowed the animation style from the cartoon: an engagement that Epic Games credits for a considerable spike in both new and returning players. The company is evidently trying to repeat this high-end engagement success with another globally honored entertainment property.
No specifics have surfaced so far regarding new gameplay mechanics or map alterations to Blitz Royale, but players have been rife with speculation. Rumors have surfaced from game file analysis, hinting at the possible appearance of character Dustin, either as a new skin or as one of the game’s recently debuted ‘Sidekicks’ cosmetic pets. As Epic Games uses its fast-paced secondary mode for such huge IP integrations—the space recently having been occupied by Marvel and Walking Dead events—this Stranger Things activation seems meticulously crafted to carry the momentum triggered by its recent run of pop culture.
