Ariana Grande in Fortnite Rift Tour Virtual Concert
Starting this past Friday, Ariana Grande served as the headliner for a Fortnite virtual concert. Fortnite added Grande as a cosmetic skin to the game, fit with her high pony, clouds, and pastel outfits.
The pre-recorded “Rift Tour” has five showtimes in Fortnite over three days for players to watch her perform songs. The event, which features Grande’s hits like “Raindrops (An Angel Cried)” and “Positions,” also includes an interactive environment, with floating stairs and pink trees.
Grande also performs “The Way,” featuring Mac Miller. In a likely homage to Miller, who died in 2018, Grande’s avatar walks up a white staircase toward a bright light.
Although Grande does not appear live for the Fortnite concerts, the visuals keep players entertained with the changing scenery and Grande switching costumes.
During the show, viewers slide through the goo, shoot at the Storm King, and fly through clouds, leaving a rainbow trail.
“The first question we always ask every partner is: What have you not been able to do in real life that you’ve always wanted to do? Because you know ‘Fortnite’ is that place that allows for the impossible to become real,” said Phil Rampulla, head of the brand at Fortnite’s developer, Epic Games. “We don’t have the constraints of gravity and budgets.”
Fortnite has put on concerts prior to Grande’s, including Travis Scott in 2020 and Marshmello in 2019. Each time, more viewers tuned in for the concerts—with more than 12 million players at Scott’s concert. Epic Games upped the ante with their latest Grande concert experience.
“We know that these events bring in new users, they bring users back and then it becomes a big cultural moment of social interactivity,” said President of Epic Games Adam Sussman.
Aug. 8 marks the final day of the concert. Players have three more opportunities to tune in for the show on this day.