American rapper Travis Scott has collaborated with Epic Games to bring his best-selling album "Astroworld" to the popular video game "Fortnite," through in-game events from Thursday, April 23, until Saturday, April 25.
The in-game event, titled "Astronomical," has been announced on the Epic Games website as well as through posts on the game's social media account on Twitter and Instagram. The "Sicko Mode" rapper is slated to drop five shows alternating between The Americas, Europe and the Middle East, and Asia and Oceania at varying times.
According to Epic Games, they have set up multiple tour dates and showtimes "to make sure everyone has a chance to experience Astronomical"
The Epic Games statement describes the event as "an other-worldly experience inspired by Cactus Jack's creations, built from the ground up in Fortnite."
Ahead of the "Astronomical" virtual concert experience, the Fortnite developers gladly announced that Travis Scott is the latest addition to the game's Icon Series. Also, as a part of the event, players who log-in as attendees of the "Astronomical" events are entitled to two loading screens and an exclusive "Astroworld Cyclone Glider" for free.
A Global Gaming Phenomenon
"Fortnite" is a 2017 online video game from Epic Games, which comes in three game mode versions with essentially the same gameplay and made from the same engine. The most popular among the versions of the game is "Fortnite Battle Royale," which has more than 125 million players upon its first year of release.
The game is a battle royale game where initially, players are equipment-less. Players scavenge for weapons and resources and try to survive as long as possible. As an added challenge, the safe area (marked on the map) gradually decreases due to a toxic storm that shrinks and kills players that remain outside the safe zone.
One of the best-selling features of the game is its Icon series, which refers to Fortnite's collaboration with artists to create in-game merch such as outfits, character emotes, and more. Among the creative minds who have worked together with Epic Games include professional e-sports player and game streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, artist Jordan Fisher, online personality Imane "Pokimane" Anys, and EDM headliners Major Lazer and Marshmello.
Travis Scott
Born Jacques Berman Webster II, the Houston-based artist and record producer landed his first major contract under Epic Records, shortly followed by signing with GOOD Music, Kanye West's record label. In 2015, the 27-year-old musician released his debut studio album "Rodeo," which spawned the hit song "Antidote." Rodeo was followed by his sophomore release "Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight," becoming his first chart-topper in the Billboard 200.
In 2017, he formed hip-hop duo "Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho" with fellow rapper and producer Quavo. He followed it up with the highly anticipated and critically successful "Astroworld," in 2018. Described as sounding like "taking an amusement park away from the kids" and titled after the now-closed theme park Six Flags AstroWorld in his Houston hometown, it contains some of Scott's most iconic hits "Butterfly Effect," "Yosemite," "Wake Up," and "Sicko Mode."
