The Weeknd to headline first of its kind ‘Fortnite Festival' event

Fortnite, the online battle royale video game, is collaborating with a popular singer for its debut ‘Fortnite Festival’ on Saturday. The festival will take place within the game and feature various artists, including Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Kendrick Lamar. This event comes shortly after rapper Eminem’s virtual concert for the game’s recent Big Bang event. Fortnite, released in 2017 by Epic Games, is a free-to-play, cross-platform multiplayer game that regularly updates with new seasons. The game often partners with artists, TV shows, films, and other video games to promote new releases. The festival will introduce a new music mode, allowing players to play instruments synced with purchasable festival ‘jam tracks.’ In-game items related to The Weeknd, such as skins, pickaxes, and emotes, will also be available for purchase. The Weeknd is releasing branded collaboration merchandise like shirts, hats, and an action figure. Players will have the opportunity to play guitar or sing vocals as The Weeknd. Fortnite has had previous collaborations with artists like Bad Bunny and tie-ins with movies and TV shows. Epic Games is also expanding its offerings with LEGO Fortnite and Rocket Racing.