This was probably an inevitability, now that we think about it: earlier today, Epic Games announced to the world that LeBron James’ arrival to the world of Fortnite is imminent. Beginning July 14, players will be able to download multiple King James skins, along with a number of additional accessories to use in-game.
Item Shop options include a Taco Tuesday outfit variant, James’ Tune Squad jersey from his upcoming role in Space Jam: A New Legacy, as well as a “King’s Back Bling” option. Each skin also comes with a pair of LeBron’s upcoming signature shoe line, the Nike LeBron 19.
Fortnite completists can also grab a King James Gear Bundle that includes a Lion Pickaxe, Wingspan Glider, and a Silencer emote option. Frankly, all of it looks pretty sweet, especially that bonkers pickaxe weapon. Check out the official announcement video courtesy of Epic below:
Get ready for all the
tie-ins —
Space Jam
LeBron James’ draft into Fortnite is only the latest in a long, long line of merchandising efforts surrounding the upcoming sequel, Space Jam: A New Legacy, which hits theaters this Friday. So far, we seen collaborations with BAPE, Nike, Xbox, and McDonald’s... and that a far-from-complete list of tie-ins. It’s almost as though this as a film focus tested to move products for both children and nostalgic adults alike. Weird.
Epic Games needs those profits for a different court —
The Fortnite-LeBron crossover is undoubtedly a calculated cash-grab for Epic, which is currently battling Apple in a very different kind of court (sorry). We really don’t have the time or energy to recount the entire Fortnite / App Store drama yet again, but suffice to say the legal squabbles are extremely ongoing at the moment. Despite Epic’s attempts to paint its profit margin fight with Apple as a David versus Goliath scenario, both sides are... well, they’re Epic and Apple. Neither is exactly the “little guy.”
Still, any way to end Apple’s ongoing extortion-like App Store conditions would be a huge win for consumers, so here’s hoping Epic comes out on top for that particular fight. And if downloading pointless LeBron James skins for Fortnite helps them in any way, then so be it.
