Epic Games just did…well, something. They collaborated with artist D4VD on what they’re touting as the first-ever Fortnite anthem, “Locked & Loaded,” and honestly, reactions from the players have been…well…almost like jelly: mixed.
Comments soon flooded the once clean tweet linking to the announcement and song. Half of the population was here in revelry. They called it “fire,” praising the anime-style animation featured in the video. The other half? Not so much. A lot of “Mid” comments poured in, basically saying, “It’s just okay; nothing special.” A few were just beginning to get into music and were thrown for a loop as to who D4VD was-well, they’re fair questions!
But hang on a second. What exactly is a “Fortnite anthem”? In essence, it highlights Epic attempting to create a landmark song for the game that embodies the experience and energy of landing on an island, grabbing loot, and rushing for the Victory Royale. The track felt hype and energetic with lyrics referencing in-game things such as potions and being locked and loaded for battle.
The animations are taking center stage. Many have mentioned just how slick these look, with one commenting, “Anime Fortnite is kinda sick.” It’s fast-paced action, characters looking cool, and all that jazz that reminds one of a production with a high budget. This makes sense when you consider that one player pointed out, “FORTNITE budget is skyrocketed after so many skin launch and character launches”. That player is definitely not wrong; Epic has loads of cash!
However, not everyone had sublime things to say about the song. One user, for instance, said the music was garbage compared to the animation, followed by a couple of quite rude comparisons to a “fortnite” song from way back by a child: “Even better than this ‘child singing fortnite’ song.” Ouch. Another lambasted it with something along the lines of “music today is so bad,” and, I know, that is a very broad statement, but…eh! Each individual has their own.
Other, quite interesting side conversations are arising in the replies. One wonders if this emphasis on cinematic trailers means Epic cares more about selling skins less than crafting good gameplay and good storyline. Another one asks if Naruto skins will ever be back-a rather very topical and crucial question for so many members of the community. Now we have the classic Fortnite discussion back in full swing: “Won’t show blood, but shows gun violence? Fortnite pls grow up.” That one will never fade away.
In the comment section, some people are in doubt about this entire “first” thing. One reply reads, “Huh drop in by trippie was definitely the first Fortnite anthem,” while another claims, “not without a fight by empara mi” was better. So…maybe “first official anthem” is just a little bit of a stretch, or just maybe it is Epic trying to label theirs as the partnered project.
All in all, “Locked & Loaded” is standing out as a very interesting move by Epic. It positions them as thinking about Fortnite as something more than just a video game; they see it as a cultural movement with its own music and style. Whether the song will eventually be a hit among players is yet to unfold, but one thing is sure: at least this got the community talking. For any live service game, that pretty much seals half of the deal. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go listen to that one again and hopefully watch it grow on me. Or, maybe not-soon-to-be-dejected closure-already, I’ll just hop into playing some Fortnite!
