Epic Games has officially shared an incredible announcement that can be described as a big one. The game Fortnite will be having a crossover with the anime Bleach, and the whole event is set to open on the 20th of December. An enigmatic quote ‘Message received. I can feel it. Something is coming…’ came along with the original tweet from FireMonkey, the gaming news handle and it was really mysterious. There is definitely going to be something happening, and it will be the character of Ichigo Kurosaki who will be making his way to the battlefield. The game is once again riding on the back of a crossover with an iconic anime series, this time not only skins and characters, but the entire Fortnite universe that keeps on expanding is where the crossover is taking place.
The people’s reactions online were just as predicted, wild yet totally nice. Gamers are excited, sometimes confused and mostly just having fun with it. One of the responses on Twitter immediately set the tone: ‘No way bro, they did Bleach before One Piece? I bet the One Piece fans are mad.’ Honestly, that’s pretty much the mood of the situation. Nobody knows the exact timing of the collaboration with Fortnite, and getting Bleach before some other giant anime franchises is a crazy choice. Another user, FlyRyFly, made a very funny mistake: ‘At first, I thought you meant the cleaning product.’ Which is actually understandable. The name ‘Bleach’ does have a double meaning. However, this is all happening around Soul Reapers and not around removing stains.
Nevertheless, the hype is for real. A user with the nickname KUKU commented, ‘December 20th can’t come very fast 🔥 “Something is coming…” yes, Bankai on the Battle Bus confirmed. ⚔️’ That’s the exact feeling. Many people are curious to see how Epic will let the Zanpakutō be introduced and maybe even some Hollow-fighting emotes to be shown. Another player, flare., just sighed, ‘My wallet gonna be cooked again..’ which could be the most relatable comment ever in gaming history. Whenever there is a new and attractive skin, that is when our V-Bucks balance gets directly attacked.
In contrast, the conversation in the replies continued and Bleach was not the only franchise mentioned. Fortnite never happens like that. The announcement of the collaboration became a spot where players could bring other franchises they are waiting for. One player, BastosMart35806, quickly asked, ‘When will Leon Kennedy come back?’ referring to the Resident Evil skins he was talking about. This sparked a whole mini-thread of speculations, with players like ExBankai and RadiodontaYT predicting the skins will come back ‘when RE9 drops.’ It is a whole ecosystem of wishlisting and leak.
Moreover, the anime saga that is an ongoing one is not an end. One user, J0SH029, just stated the obvious: ‘We got Bleach before One Piece and Demon Slayer lmfao.’ Another user, Clippit317, added, “I hope we get Jojo’s once the 7th season comes out, that would be awesome.” Okay, if the door is wide open, then Goku won’t be far behind. Most probably, but a dream is all a gamer wants.
Some replies were merely pure acknowledgment given for the vibe. User walmart_en remarked, ‘that blade shot is already iconic, bleach has no problems announcing itself.’ They are absolutely right. The teaser image is all about the vibe, just a single sword on a black background. It is a very strong, cool contrast to Fortnite’s usual colorful chaos. Meanwhile, Morphus_17 is already crafting the fan fiction: ‘Save the Zero Point Shard, Ichigo Kurosaki.’ Honestly, that’s a storyline for a season that we all would not mind playing.
Of course, every time something new happens there is a question regarding the last thing. User MGRaidenEnjoyer came with ‘Where’s Metal Gear wave 2?’ This is a cycle that never ends. Epic gives us something amazing, and we immediately say, ‘Okay, but what about that other amazing thing?’ This is one of their techniques to keep us attracted, always making us wonder what is going to happen next.
So, what does all this mean? Fortnite’s crossover strategy is not only aimed at the sale of skins but at moment creation as well. The Bleach announcement is not just a product drop but rather an event. It is needless to say that discussions, jokes, and checking the calendar for December 20th excessively is what will be happening. The phrase ‘Something is coming…’ is the ultimate marketing strategy—it is vague, it is exciting, and it allows the players’ imagination to run free. Is there going to be a new game mode? A mythical Zangetsu weapon? A Kon back bling? The event is also generating buzz for other platforms, with some gamers already looking forward to updates on their PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
