Fortnite could be ditching Western pop culture for an altogether different kind of collaboration in the future if new leaks are to be believed.
According to reputable insider and Twitter user TweaBR, a trusted source has informed them that Epic Games is currently partnering with Japanese manga publisher Shueisha with the aim of bringing several of the company’s sole and part-owned properties to the battle royale. Among these, they say, are the Naruto and Dragon Ball brands, both of which have global audiences and fandoms far outreaching their native country.
The latter in particular, created by Akira Toriyama in 1984 and based loosely on 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West, is often credited by many as their first experience with Shōnen manga and has enjoyed renewed popularity in recent years thanks to the anime Dragon Ball Super. Should the leak prove to be accurate, characters such as Goku, Vegeta and Frieza are all but guaranteed to appear in Fortnite as unlockable or purchasable skins alongside the usual collection of assorted cosmetics (i.e. emotes, gliders).
In addition to the above, Shueisha serializes and publishes other notable series such as One Piece, Demon Slayer and Bleach and it remains to be seen just how many of these will be accounted for in the rumored crossover. Depending on scope, there’s every chance of Epic dedicating an entire season to celebrating the genre, similar to Chapter 2: Season 4’s Marvel-centric premise featuring Galactus.
Alternatively, this could all be incorrect (accidental or otherwise) information, but it’s worth noting that Fortnite‘s community is often on-point with this type of stuff, so fans will just have to wait and see what transpires. Until then, be sure to let us know which anime characters you’d love to see show up on Apollo Island in the usual place below!
