In the ever-evolving world of video games, collaborations between iconic franchises have become increasingly popular. Epic Games’ Fortnite is one such platform that has been at the forefront of these crossovers. However, Nintendo did not want to comply when it came to Metroid and Samus Aran.
The battle royale game has featured characters from various gaming universes, including Xbox’s Master Chief and PlayStation’s Kratos, during its bounty hunter season in 2020-2021. However, one notable absence was Nintendo’s Samus Aran from the Metroid series.
Rumors and speculations about Samus Aran’s potential appearance in Fortnite had been circulating among Nintendo fans for quite some time. Court documents shared during Epic Games’ legal battle with Apple in 2021 confirmed that the character was indeed planned to be part of Fortnite’s bounty hunter season. Despite this revelation, the reasons behind Samus Aran’s absence remained a mystery until recently.
In a recent interview with Stephen Totilo’s Game File, former Fortnite boss and Epic Games’ chief creative officer, Donald Mustard, shed light on the situation. Mustard revealed that Nintendo “got really hung up” about its characters appearing on platforms other than their own.
He stated, “They got really hung up on their characters showing up on platforms that weren’t their platforms… They would be thrilled to have Nintendo characters in Fortnite, but just only if it’s on their platform…
Mustard emphasized the importance of providing a consistent experience across all platforms, saying:
“For me and for all of Epic, we’re like, ‘That is an absolute must. We want to make sure that Fortnite is the same experience, no matter what screen or device you’re playing on.‘”
Despite the setback, Epic Games has not given up on the idea of incorporating Nintendo characters into Fortnite. In an interview with Axios last year, the company’s executive vice president, Saxs Persson, expressed their continued interest in collaborating with Nintendo.
Persson stated, “Nintendo has their strategy and we have our strategy, and we hope at some point to use their characters. Our players would love it.” However, he acknowledged that securing Nintendo’s characters was a challenging task.
While Samus Aran may not be making an appearance in Fortnite in the near future, the game continues to attract a wide range of collaborations from various entertainment industries.
Recent partnerships include Lady Gaga’s long-awaited Fortnite debut and the upcoming addition of Billie Eilish to the game. Furthermore, a much-discussed “leak” has hinted at potential collaborations with Metallica, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Lego Star Wars later this year.
While Nintendo’s stance on character licensing may have prevented Samus Aran from joining the Fortnite universe, the possibility of future collaborations between Epic Games and Nintendo remains an intriguing prospect for gamers worldwide.
What do you think of Nintendo blocking Metroid and Samus from Fortnight collabs? Leave a comment and let us know.
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