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Nike, the renowned sneakers empire, is boldly venturing into the virtual gaming universe with its non-fungible tokens (NFT) platform, .Swoosh. In an innovative collaboration with Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, Nike aims to blend reality with the virtual world.
Teasing fans on Twitter, Nike hinted at an upcoming "Sneakerhunt" on Fortnite, scheduled to begin on June 20. While Nike has previously experimented with digital attire in the game, the surprise element this time was the appearance of logos of .Swoosh and Epic Games' Unreal Engine at the end of the "Airphoria" event teaser.
Announced in the latter months of the previous year, the .Swoosh NFT platform is powered by the Ethereum scaling network, Polygon. In May, the platform minted its first digital footwear, "Our Force 1" sneakers, as tradable NFTs.
The specifics of the collaboration between Epic Games and Nike, rumored to feature Nike's Air Max shoe brand, have yet to be revealed. However, the cryptic teaser suggests that Nike's .Swoosh could find its place within Fortnite and potentially the larger Unreal Engine ecosystem.
Nike's foray into the gaming industry doesn't end there. Earlier this month, the company announced a collaboration with EA Sports, with plans to incorporate Nike's NFT apparel and accessories into future games, bringing a unique twist to franchises like FIFA and Madden NFL.
Fortnite, the online battle royale shooter, maintains a strong presence in the gaming world. Although the number of players has slightly declined from its peak of 290 million in May 2021 to approximately 243 million in the past month, Fortnite remains a dominant force. Through partnerships with entertainment and fashion brands, Fortnite has generated billions of dollars in revenue by selling digital items such as character and weapon skins since its inception in 2017.
