Key Points
- Fortnite’s rocket racing experiences get a taste of NASCAR by adding the Chicago Street Course.
- Created in collaboration with metaverse studio Karta.
- Competitors participate in lively races using their Fortnite cars.
- Additional NASCAR tracks will be released in 2024.
NASCAR is teaming up with Fortnite in an epic crossover that will bring some of its most iconic tracks to Rocket Racing. The UK-based metaverse company Karta has partnered with the American stock car racing organization to introduce the popular Chicago Street Course into the Fortnite world, with many more expected to follow later this year.
NASCAR’s first custom @FortniteGame Rocket Racing track is here!
Grab a friend, start your engines and hit the virtual #NASCARChicago streets today! Find it in Fortnite with code: 0012-6902-9252. pic.twitter.com/IE5HRCGhGM
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 2, 2024
NASCAR Chicago Street Course on Fortnite
The first track to be redesigned is the Chicago Street Circuit, which corresponds with the IRL (In Real Life) NASCAR race on July 7th.
Competitors will be able to use any car from their inventory in order to race across a variety of different routes and terrains, learning how to manage speed, drift around corners faster than ever before and overcome obstacles during multiplayer or solo events.
It is NASCAR’s first appearance within this widely played video game; therefore it combines thrilling base jumping gameplay mechanics set against creative challenges such as tightrope walking over shark-infested waters while avoiding sniper fire from enemy players positioned atop skyscrapers hundreds of meters away – all this within one match!
Players can explore a continually changing map filled with dynamic elements designed to recreate the exhilaration of real-life motorsports.
The hope is that both existing fans of these sports will find something new and exciting here but also those who have never watched or participated before may become interested through their exposure via this medium.
A Long-term Strategy for Engagement
This isn’t just another short-lived stunt either – once they’ve finished building out their initial offering based around downtown Chicago streets (which itself should take several months), NASCAR plans on releasing additional tracks regularly up until 2024, if not beyond.
The idea is that NASCAR wants to become a permanent fixture within Fortnite, always having something fresh and thrilling for players who love racing games like this one.
Nick Rend, NASCAR’s managing director of esports & gaming said: “Fortnite is an ideal platform for reaching a global audience – blending the intensity of NASCAR with the immersive world of Fortnite was always going to be exciting. Karta have been great partners throughout this process; they really understood what we were trying to achieve and have delivered it brilliantly.”
Karta CEO Erik Londré added: “Working with such an iconic brand as NASCAR has been fantastic – our aim here was simple, we wanted people who race around in circles at high speed whilst wearing neon jumpsuits all day long (a.k.a. ‘NASCAR drivers’) to know just how much fun it could be if done properly! We think everybody involved will be thrilled when they see what we’ve come up with together.”
Virtual Expertise
Karta is no stranger when it comes to creating memorable experiences within virtual settings; over the past few months alone they have worked alongside Nicki Minaj, Amazon Music, Blackpink Twice McDonald Spotify Hugo Boss and many more brands looking to employ innovative ways to engage their audiences via metaverse technologies.
The launch of the Fortnite Chicago Street Race marks a major milestone in bringing real-world motorsport action into digital gaming environments.
Fans now have an opportunity to enjoy thrilling races from NASCAR’s top events like never before – but that’s not all because there’s still plenty more where those came from; additional tracks will be released periodically throughout 2022 ensuring this collaboration continues to push boundaries well beyond its initial release date.
To take part in the action, head over to Fortnite now and find your way through downtown Chicago streets as fast you can, or wait patiently while new locations pop up every so often throughout next year – either approach is guaranteed to leave you breathless!
