Fortnite reveals exclusive Star Wars trailer in game, but some users can’t log in
Fortnite briefly invited gamers into the world of Star Wars on Saturday. The only problem was that many users had trouble logging in to see it.
While the event was slated for 2 pm ET, Epic had to delay the event by 15 minutes because of issues with logging in and making purchases. Even after 2:15 pm, players still took to social media to complain the game was crashing or they couldn’t even open it.
For those who were able to log in and tune in, including some YouTubers, the video game brought elements of Star Wars into its fantasy world of pickaxes and survival of the fittest shooting. First, within the game, spaceships zipped across the sky, including the Millennium Falcon.
Then, JJ Abrams presented an exclusive clip from the upcoming film, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” In the clip, Rey performs a mind-trick on Stormtroopers.
Finally, players were able to fight each other using lightsabers, before the event ended. Everyone who attended the in-game event also received a free virtual cosmetic, and the store is selling Star Wars outfits.
The film comes out in six days, so fans have already seen plenty of trailers and teasers. But the Fortnite tie-in is a little different and more interactive than traditional marketing.
Disney and Epic Games, maker of Fortnite, have partnered up before. In the film “Avengers: Endgame,” Thor can be seen playing the massively popular battle royale game while downing beer and pizza. And within Fortnite, events starring characters like the Marvel villain Thanos have made for splashy crossovers. In the increasingly digital world, traditional media has found innovative ways to market.
Fortnite itself is no stranger to throwing events. In October, it plunged legions of players into a black hole, as a way to commemorate the end of the tenth season of the game. Over seven million people tuned in to watch across Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube, according to Epic. An unknown number of people logged onto the game during the event.
