Nike NFTs won’t be integrated into their ‘Airphoria’ concept collaboration with Epic Games’ Fortnite after all, the Web3 gaming company revealed in a statement. Let’s take a closer look at the disappointing news.
TL;DR
- Nike collaborates with Fortnite to create a Nike-themed virtual land called ‘Airphoria;’
- The collaboration does not involve NFTs or digital item trading as fans initially believed, Epic Games explained;
- Players who connect their Epic Games account to the .SWOOSH trading platform can get whitelisted for the next Air Max digital drop in the game.
Nike’s exciting ‘Airphoria’ virtual land release within Fortnite will not offer any NFTs, Epic Games revealed in a statement.
Why Did Everybody Expect Nike NFTs in the Fortnite Collab?
When Nike shared the news of their collaboration with Fortnite on June 20th, fans were excited, to say the least. According to Epic Games (the gaming giant that owns Fortnite), players can explore a Nike-themed virtual land.
In terms of design, the realistic city has areas like the Shoebox Tower, Museum Max, or Station 97. This journey comes with a quest, too: users must find lost items called Air Max Grails.
Nike has partnered with the development studio Beyond Creative for the design. Of course, the team used Epic Games’ Unreal Engine for Fortnite software. The announcement also mentioned a connection with the .SWOOSH ecosystem – Fornite’s Web3 platform. This has led users to believe Nike will also launch NFTs as part of the collaboration.
But that’s not the case.
‘Airphoria’ invites players on a quest to find in-game items and explore a fascinating Nike-themed digital city.
What Did Epic Games Reveal about ‘Airphoria’ NFTs?
Following the hype around the alleged Nike NFTs drop, Epic Games clarified the situation:
“The connection between Fortnite and Nike doesn’t integrate any NFTs or digital item trading marketplaces into the Fortnite world or its economy. Items recognized across these two ecosystems are purely for the enjoyment of the purchaser, and aren’t tradeable, transferrable, or sellable, as has always been the case in the Fortnite economy,” the company said.
Nevertheless, there is a link between Nike and the popular .SWOOSH trading platform. Apparently, if ‘Airphoria’ players connect their Epic Games account to .SWOOSH, they can earn whitelist for the next Air Max digital drop.
