The realms of Fortnite and World of Warcraft, two giants in the gaming industry, may be on the verge of an unexpected but somewhat understandable collision.
As WoW players are well aware, the popular MMORPG rarely partakes in crossover events. On the other hand, Fortnite, Epic Games’ battle royale phenomenon, is no stranger to cross-brand collaborations, having intertwined with an eclectic range of franchises like Marvel, Dragon Ball, Assassin’s Creed, and even real-world brands like Nike. However, the new potential partnership with WoW heralds an unanticipated shift in the wind for the world of Azeroth.
Data mining activities in WoW’s 10.1.7 PTR patch uncovered Fortnite-inspired spells. These mentions, discovered by the website, Wowhead, are quite out of place within WoW’s usual context.
In total, dataminers unearthed eight Fortnite-based spells, with most mentions referring to a “Renegade Looter,” a familiar phrase among Fortnite players.
One standout is the “Cranking 90s” ability, a reference to Fortnite’s high-speed vertical tower-building mechanic. In WoW’s context, it allows the new “Renegade Looter” boss to construct towers rapidly and gain the upper hand in the battle. Other borrowed mechanic includes the “One Pump,” “Slurp Drink,” “Disco Bomb,” and a spell named after Fortnite’s notorious storm mechanic, all set to introduce an extra layer of challenge and fun to WoW’s gameplay.
More intriguing are the “Glug Jug” and “The Storm” spells. The former allows players to restore their health completely, an obvious parallel to Fortnite’s iconic Slurp Juice. Meanwhile, “The Storm” deals nature damage to players outside its eye, an apparent nod to Fortnite’s core gameplay mechanic of the Storm Circle.
While the idea of a World of Warcraft x Fortnite crossover might seem a bit far-fetched given WoW’s historical reticence for such collaborations, it’s worth remembering that we live in an age where video games are more likely to collide than ever before. Recent partnerships, such as the surprising Street Fighter 6 and PUBG mashup, underscore this trend.
However, players are advised to hold their collective breaths for now, as all these tantalizing possibilities remain speculative. As seen in the past, data mined information doesn’t always translate to final implementation. Nevertheless, the concept has been exciting enough to make players dream.
Should this crossover become reality, it could present fascinating opportunities for both games. For the popular MMORPG, a game preparing to celebrate its 19th anniversary, it could attract a fresh wave of players intrigued by the connection with Fortnite. On the other hand, Fortnite could also draw in a new demographic of gamers and expand its already expansive universe further. In any case, both games stand to benefit from the broadening of horizons and fresh influx of players.
The inclusion of Fortnite elements into WoW may seem like an eccentric experiment, but in a gaming landscape where the lines between genres and platforms are increasingly blurred, it’s not outside the realm of possibility. For now, all we can do is wait for official confirmation, fingers crossed, hoping that this crossover could become another unexpected but pleasant surprise in the ever-evolving world of gaming.
And, who knows? If this crossover becomes popular enough, Microsoft, the new upcoming owners of Activision Blizzard, might see the potential for more. Both Fortnite and Call of Duty have crossed over with the NBA in the past – Kevin Durant most recently joined Call of Duty as a playable skin – so why not a crossover with each other, right?
