It surely is the real thing, so to say! A lot of time has gone by full of speculation and leakage of information, but at last, Epic Games has not only confirmed but also officially announced. November 20 at 7 PM ET is the date and time for the official collaboration between F1 and Fortnite, so mark your calendar, set your alarms, or whatever you do to remember important dates and times. It is a live event, not a drill.
The announcement was, as always, made on social media, which was immediately filled with excitement and confusion. The replies were like a beautiful chaos filled with energy and demands. Only the energy from the Fortnite crossover can create such a huge buzz.
But is it really what seems it to be? The main tweet is very unambiguous regarding the date and time but it is the community’s reaction that presents the whole image. Players are speculating on everything from skins to new possibly showing items or even vehicles. One user, @flareonsightt, even clearly asked, ‘I want an F1 body for our cars!’ which, to be honest, was the exact thought I had too. Just imagine riding in a mini F1 car along the Battle Bus route. That would be so overpowered yet so beautiful at the same time.
On the other hand, there are also some who are not entirely convinced. The hype surrounding it is real but so is the accompanying criticism. One player, @rayanelarbaoui, was not very thrilled, stating ‘they look ass, especially without the sponsors.’ Ouch! But at the same time, that is an argument. One of the main characteristics of F1’s visual identity is the companies’ logos displayed on the race cars. Will there be different skins for the in-game characters depicting the teams like Red Bull or Ferrari? Another user, @LostGround999, asked whether each skin would ‘come with a edit style for the brands?’ That’s the V-Buck question right there.
And the traditional Fortnite community skepticism is also there. @SillyBample wondered if Epic was actually ‘recycling the ones old ones from two years ago or the new silly default skins?’ It is a rightful concern. The players have a long memory and they closely monitor asset recycling. The pressure on Epic to be creative is actually very high.
One of the most common things in the replies was the people’s desire for more than just a cosmetic improvement. The only thing they won’t mind is classic eye candy skins. Instead, they are asking to interact with the F1 theme. @SpkwagenNatEt was practically begging, ‘please tell me there are car cosmetics, please 🥺’. And @boi_cyril had one very funny thought and even uploaded a video that said, ‘if they plan to add the f1 cars at least make it rideable like this HAHAHAHA’. The video featured a silly and improvised car emote, which is exactly the kind of wild energy that Fortnite is all about.
What this announcement has been compared to is really humorous. @Clippit317 tweeted ‘we got F1 in Fortnite before GTA VI’, raising the mind-boggling timeline we are living in. It is a very powerful statement and to be honest? Kind of true! The world’s magical ways are indeed mysterious. On the flip side, @MatthewMossa01 was just incredulous about the priorities and yelled ‘FORMULA 1 BEFORE BACK TO THE FUTURE??? WTF’. That is totally relatable. You can never foresee the collaboration choices totally.
The community is relieved, and the relief is quite strong. After the continuous rumors, a definite date is like a victory. @AKJ_Fracture mentioned, ‘See? All we had to do was waiting a little bit’, while @JOYCONMENN was proclaiming the skins are ‘NO LONGER LOST MEDIA’. The community is sharing a collective sigh of relief. The wait is over.
What is behind all this? What exactly made it such a moment that everyone wanted? Fortnite has partnered with various brands, such as Marvel, Star Wars, and Nike. But F1 is not the same; it is a sport admired for its high-speed accuracy and glamour that has now invaded a game known for its childishness and chaos. Cultures are colliding, yet it makes perfect sense in the world of Fortnite. Epic just got another nod for their power to import any brand or IP to their island.
In terms of what to expect on the drop day, it would not be an exaggeration to say that we will get a set of costumes for F1 drivers besides inspirations. Most likely there will be one male and one female model, and a few will be made. The biggest unknowns are the extra items. What about a glider that is like the rear wing? A harvesting tool that is a pit stop wrench? An emote where your character does the victory celebration?
