Photo Credit: Slgckgc / CC by 2.0Silk Sonic – consisting of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak – is officially set to become the latest act to join the world of Fortnite.
Epic Games just recently unveiled the R&B duo’s imminent Fortnite arrival, specifying in the corresponding release that Silk Sonic will debut in the Icon Series at 4 PM PT next Thursday, February 10th.
Included within said debut are outfits for both Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak (who appeared in GTA Online with Dr. Dre) as well as in-game accessories like the “Sound Scepter Pickaxe” and the “Sonic Snare Back Bling.”
And before the “Smokin Out the Window” duo’s digital apparel arrives in the Fortnite item shop, a “Silk Sonic Cup” will take place on Monday, February 7th, Epic specified. Players will have the chance to unlock the aforementioned outfits and items early by competing in the event.
Lastly, regarding the Silk Sonic-Fortnite deal’s nuances, organizers have also launched “a brand-new in-game radio station” called Icon Radio. Fans who tune in to the station can “listen to Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, and the one and only Bootsy Collins as their host,” according to Epic’s announcement message.
The Icon Series – which “brings the artistic vision, personality, and attitude of top creators to Fortnite, building on previous collaborations with Marshmello and Major Lazer” – debuted back in January of 2020. Since then, multiple artists have appeared in Fortnite (and other community-based video games), and Travis Scott took home a reported $20 million paycheck for his 2020 concert in the digital universe.
Several outlets have reported that Silk Sonic’s Fortnite radio station and items are part of a broader partnership between Epic Games and Warner Music Group’s Atlantic Records. And on this front, WMG has leaned into and invested in the gaming space more than Universal Music and Sony Music have.
WMG’s many initiatives in gaming and/or the metaverse include an early partnership with Twitch, a Twenty One Pilots concert as well as a recently detailed David Guetta DJ party in Roblox, and the development of a virtual musical theme park and concert venue in The Sandbox.
On the investment side, besides taking a stake in Roblox itself, WMG has backed game developer Supersocial, YouTube music-licensing platform Lickd, CryptoKitties creator Dapper Labs, virtual-concert platform Wave, and game-mod marketplace Overwolf, to name some.
Earlier this week, Merlin and Twitch inked a “groundbreaking” partnership agreement, and “Dance Monkey” artist Tones and I made her way onto the Fortnite stage last month.
