NFL Partners With Epic Games To Bring Uniforms, Gear To "Fortnite"

The NFL has partnered with "Fortnite" publisher Epic Games to "bring football gear to the massively popular online game," according to Mike Snider of USA TODAY. Players of the video game beginning on Friday will be "able to get NFL team outfits in the game's Battle Royale item shop." Once a player gets a uniform for any one NFL team, they can "customize it with a jersey number each time they use it -- and swap it out for a different team's helmet, jersey pants and cleats." Uniforms will be "available for male and female characters and players can switch jerseys and numbers any time they use the outfit." Although players can change numbers, they "won't see names on the back of the jerseys, neither their own usernames nor the names of NFL players." In addition to the jerseys, "Fortnite" will also have "football-themed emotes, harvesting tools that resemble goal posts, pigskin-outfitted gliders, and male and female referee outfits." The NFL deal represents the first time Epic officially has "teamed up with an outside partner on special outfits inside the game" ( USATODAY.com, 11/5 ). HEAVY.com's Eli Becht notes this is not the "first sports cross-over Epic Games has done," as "Fortnite" has had both Pyeongchang Games and '18 FIFA World Cup "skins in the game." Epic Games has "shown a willingness in the past to work with big brands, even bringing Thanos into the game" for a Limited Time Mode event ( HEAVY.com, 11/5 ).