Fortnite's platform has already featured crossover characters from Sony and Microsoft, such as Kratos, Aloy, and Master Chief. However, no Nintendo characters have made an appearance in the game thus far. Epic's ecosystem boss, Saxs Persson, expressed to Axios that Fortnite players would be thrilled to see Nintendo characters join the game. Despite this, a former Nintendo employee believes that this is unlikely to happen and sees the idea as nonsensical.
Persson acknowledged that Nintendo has their own strategy, while Epic has theirs. He also expressed hope that Nintendo might agree to a deal at some point. In trying to persuade Nintendo to allow this collaboration, Persson emphasized the tremendous effort Epic has put into the endeavor, comparing it to the process of creating diamonds without knowing the proper term for it.
Nintendo characters have made appearances in various other games, such as Mario in Ubisoft's Mario + Rabbids series and Sega's Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games franchise. Link also starred as a playable character in Namco's Soulcalibur II. According to former Nintendo employee Kit Ellis, bringing Nintendo characters into Fortnite is unnecessary given the company's extensive success and well-established IP, including the billion-dollar Mario Movie and the best-selling Nintendo Switch. Ellis emphasized that Nintendo is bigger than Fortnite and does not need to rely on it for their continued success.
Ellis argued that it would be illogical for Nintendo to allow its characters to appear in Fortnite for multiple reasons, given his view that Fortnite's core gameplay of shooting people contradicts Nintendo's principles. Despite Fortnite expanding beyond battle royale into various gaming modes, resembling more of a platform than a single game, Ellis maintained that players should not anticipate seeing Mario in Fortnite. "Epic's efforts are futile; this collaboration will not come to fruition," Ellis concluded.
Nintendo stands to benefit from introducing its characters to Fortnite. This move would mark a significant departure from the Wii U era. Tweets from Kit & Krysta on December 10, 2023, hinted at the prospect of Samus from the Metroid series joining the Fortnite universe, yet this never came to fruition.
Fortnite recently completed one of its most significant weeks with the release of Chapter 5, Season 1, signaling a "new beginning" for the game, as well as Lego Fortnite and Fortnite Festival. In total, over 6.6 million players were logged into Fortnite across its different modes. For further insight into Fortnite's recent developments, visit Our Website for an opinion piece discussing why these updates make the game feel like Fortnite 2, despite Epic's reluctance to officially label it as such.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan of both Nintendo and Fortnite, I find the debate surrounding the potential addition of Nintendo characters to Fortnite intriguing. While I understand the excitement and anticipation among many fans, I also appreciate the perspective of former Nintendo employee Kit Ellis, who questions the logic behind such a collaboration.
Ellis's argument that Nintendo is bigger than Fortnite and doesn't need to rely on it for success resonates with me. Nintendo has a rich history and a vast library of beloved characters and franchises that have stood the test of time. Collaborating with Fortnite might not necessarily bring significant benefits to Nintendo, and it could potentially dilute the unique identity and charm of its characters.
