Ariana Grande is the latest pop superstar to step into 'Fortnite'
Call it a game, call it a platform, call it a metaverse, call it whatever you want, really. Fortnite is a huge stage for all sorts of shenanigans, and that stage will soon host Ariana Grande.
She's kicking off the Rift Tour on Aug. 6, with a full weekend of events planned to ensure that Fortnite fans of all ages and time zones can have a chance to check it out. Epic Games announced the news on Sunday alongside a short trailer hyping the event.
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Epic recommends that fans plan to arrive 60 minutes before the scheduled start times for each event. Then, 30 minutes before showtime, the "Rift Tour Playlist" of Fortnite-themed experiences "pairing popular tracks with moments based on elements from the game" will go live.
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Assuming the Rift Tour follows the lead of past Fortnite engagements with music stars, Grande will show up and perform a short, likely pre-recorded concert. There will be five shows in all between Friday, Aug. 6 and Sunday, Aug. 8. (You can find the full schedule here.)
Of course, no Fortnite event is truly complete without Epic giving fans the opportunity to spend money on themed digital items. Grande's "Icon Series" in the Fortnite Item Shop will include an outfit and "Piggy Smallz Back Bling." Everyone who attends one of the shows will also receive a free "Cuddly Cloudcruiser" umbrella in-game, to snazz up their journeys from the Battle Bus to the ground.
These in-game Fortnite events tend to be cool experiences where the game piece of the experience falls by the wayside as fans gather to just soak in the vibe. Epic's decision to stage multiple shows over the course of the weekend, and at wildly different times, should give everyone a chance to hop in and watch things "live." Just make sure your copy of Fortnite is up-to-date well in advance.
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
