Today, the NFL and Fortnite announced a new collaboration called the NFL Zone. The new NFL Zone is a described as “a multifaceted, dynamic metaverse experience built in Fortnite Creative.” This new social hub, sponsored by Visa, will “engage existing fans while increasing fan discoverability through an NFL-inspired social hub for Fortnite players and NFL football fans alike.”
NFL Zone
The NFL Zone will feature tons of new content for NFL fans. The first part, The Hub, will include a virtual tailgate, as well as a Visa sponsored stadium and mini game. This “Blitz the Bag” mini game will have players race to bring a bag to one of the NFL stores located in the stadium.
There will also be portals that will lead to new areas inspired by the different NFL franchises. The first one is based on the San Francisco 49ers, with more coming in the months ahead. These team-based areas will feature a “seek and sack” game which is a modified version of search and destroy.
“Fortnite has become one of the go-to destinations for audiences seeking immersive, social experiences, and we see a massive opportunity to bring NFL football to a new generation of fans with NFL Zone,” said Ed Kiang, VP of Video Gaming at the NFL. “Through developing a robust catalog of content with top gaming personalities and pairing it with a persistent presence in the metaverse, we’ll be able to grow generational fandom off the field and enhance the connection audiences have with NFL football.”
AFC vs NFC
There are also plans to partner with content creators on sites like TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube to promote the new NFL Zone. The team-inspired maps will also split these creators into an AFC vs NFC competition alongside players. Wins will be tracked on a giant scoreboard in the NFL Zone. The team with the most points after a final playoff will be crowned the champion!
“NFL Zone is a great example of the amazing experiences created and published to millions of players in Fortnite every day,” said Matthew Henick, VP, Metaverse Development for Epic Games. “The NFL has used Fortnite’s openly available Creative toolset to build a persistent, social and immersive experience that we can’t wait to see evolve over the course of this NFL season and beyond.”
Previous Collaborations
This isn’t the first time the NFL has partnered with Fortnite. Skins based on NFL team uniforms have been available in Fortnite multiple times. Before Super Bowl LV in 2021, a stadium style hub was created. This hub also included football-themed mini games and hidden surprises. Former NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes got multiple skins and accessories added to the game in August of this year.
To access the new NFL Zone: The Hub in Fortnite, enter 3402-0256-6913 in the Island Code menu. To access the 49ers themed map, enter 6133-5764-5986 in the Island Code menu.
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