The Increasing Integration of Fortnite-like Elements in Various Video Games is Growing Quite Irksome
Crossovers in video games have become a common trend, with characters from various franchises appearing in unexpected titles. For instance, Yoda from Star Wars has been seen in Soulcalibur, Negan from The Walking Dead in Tekken, and a Halo Spartan in Dead or Alive. This trend is most prominent in Fortnite, which added over 70 new collaborations in 2021 alone, including King of the Hill and Squid Game.
However, this trend has sparked a debate among gamers and critics. Mollie Taylor, a news writer at PC Gamer, has expressed concern about the excessive use of crossovers, arguing that strong characters and storytelling should be the focus rather than a marketing strategy.
The Pros and Cons of Crossovers
Crossovers can have a significant impact on games, attracting new players and boosting engagement. For example, Fortnite's collaborations with musicians like Eminem and Travis Scott have created unique experiences, blending gaming with music entertainment. These collaborations have also kept the game culturally relevant, contributing to its status as a cultural phenomenon.
On the other hand, excessive crossovers can overshadow the core game mechanics and narrative, reducing immersion and making the game feel more like a marketing platform. Critics argue that poorly integrated skins or characters that don't fit thematically can dilute the gameplay experience and loss of thematic coherence.
The Impact on the Gaming Industry
Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, defends these collaborations, stating that they enhance the gaming experience and broaden the audience. However, the trend of crossovers, often referred to as "Fortnitification," is spreading to other games like Call of Duty, World of Tanks, Smite, and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.
This trend has raised questions about the reasoning behind certain crossovers. For instance, Joker appearing in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and Dante in Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne. The speaker, who has started to tire of the increasing number of crossovers, expresses dissatisfaction with the trend, citing examples like Leon Kennedy and Geralt.
A Call for Strong Storytelling and Characters
Mollie Taylor, who joined PC Gamer in 2020, argues that not every video game needs to be a crossover episode. She believes that strong storytelling and characters can draw players without the need for crossovers. This sentiment was echoed by the speaker, who felt disenchanted with the crossover trend during the Summer Game Fest in June 2025, when they saw Hatsune Miku in a Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds trailer.
In her article, Mollie Taylor criticizes the Star Wars Palpatine event in Fortnite for creating confusion due to its connection to the game's canon timeline. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining a game's coherence and immersion, even in the face of exciting crossover opportunities.
In conclusion, while crossovers in video games can generate excitement, expand audiences, and blur media boundaries, they also pose risks to game cohesion and can provoke mixed reactions from players and partner communities. It is essential to strike a balance between innovative collaborations and preserving the integrity of the game's narrative and mechanics.
- Mollie Taylor, a news writer at PC Gamer, believes that strong storytelling and characters should be the focus of video games, rather than relying on crossovers as a marketing strategy.
- Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, argues that collaborations enhance the gaming experience and broaden the audience, but the trend of crossovers, or "Fortnitification," has raised questions about the reasoning behind them.
- In the gaming industry, crossovers can have a significant impact, attracting new players and boosting engagement, such as Fortnite's collaborations with musicians like Eminem and Travis Scott.
- Critics argue that excessive crossovers can overshadow the core game mechanics and narrative, reducing immersion and making the game feel more like a marketing platform, as seen in the example of Leon Kennedy and Geralt in various titles.
