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[Draugoth]

From Star Wars to Naruto, Epic Games has managed to nab all kinds of brand crossovers for its skins and characters - and it still hasn't counted out going for Nintendo.

Sax Persson, Epic's head of ecosystem in Fortnite, recently told Axios how difficult their attempts have been to add Mario, Princess Peach, Donkey Kong, Link, Zelda, Samus, and other characters from the Nintendo universe to Fortnite's ever-expanding roster of skins and avatars. He explained that Epic's efforts to convince Nintendo to allow the company to insert Mario and the gang into Fortnite have gone nowhere.

"I don't know what the word for, like, making diamonds is," Persson said. "Nintendo has their strategy and we have our strategy, and we hope at some point [to use their characters]. Our players would love it."

So why has Nintendo not budged on allowing its characters in the metaverse game? Speculation has largely swirled around the fact that Fortnite is a multiplatform game allowing, for example, PlayStation character Kratos to run around on Xbox consoles. It's possible that Nintendo doesn't want the same deal for its beloved characters.

Kit Ellis, a former Nintendo public relations managers who's since left the company, offered a pretty straightforward explanation in a video as well:

"They don't need Fortnite. They're bigger than Fortnite. The stuff that they do is bigger than Fortnite."

"They've spent decades building up these characters, building up this IP to the point where it is now where The Mario Movie can be a billion dollars and Nintendo Switch is the best-selling console," Ellis said. "...They can just be one of a other dozen characters that all play the same, put into a game that's all about shooting people and is so against their brand? It makes no sense... This isn't gonna happen."

Still, while the prospects look dim, it's at least clear that Epic hasn't given up on it.

Source

 

[caligula13]

is Minecraft bigger than Nintendo?

 

[Punished Miku]

Nintendo are the best IP managers on the planet. Zero chance they will ever be in Fortnite. Only way I could see it is if it was some kind of a large Universal Studios Nintendo map and everyone used paint instead of bullets and it was exclusive to Switch.

 

[Kenpachii]

Mario with a gun, yea doubt that's every going to happen.

 

[Trogdor1123]

I bet they do, it would be a money printer… but it isn’t happening

 

[Deerock71]

Mario with a gun, yea doubt that's every going to happen.

Mario vs. Rabbids

 

[Mowcno]

 

[Mephisto40]

Nintendo are not going to let you shoot Mario with an AK47, no matter how "cartoony" the game is

 

[kubricks]

It's nice to want things.

 

[Dorfdad]

I called for this years ago, but I doubt it will ever happen. Nintendo doesn't want their IP's shooting each other with guns. It's an image thing. I could see a possible mode like Lego's or the racing, music modes getting Skins, but having Mario or Bowser with a SKIN in the battle mode probably won't happen.

I can tell you from an advertiser's perspective they are all super hyper anal about image and optics of these things.

 

[Punished Miku]

I can tell you from an advertiser's perspective they are all super hyper anal about image and optics of these things.

They managed to carefully maintain the image of a fat plumber through that attention to detail.

If you let anything go it's not long until you end up in a dark place.

 

[nial]

Nintendo are not going to let you shoot Mario with an AK47, no matter how "cartoony" the game is

Mario is not the only Nintendo IP.

 

[VolticArchangel]

Epic: "Hey Nintendo, want us to put your characters in our 25 million+ DAU avg shooter, fortnite? You could make some money off of it through licensing if we are graceful enough to allow it."

Nintendo:

 

[Mephisto40]

Mario is not the only Nintendo IP.

All Nintendo owned characters fall under the same umbrella though, they won't put them in games with realistic guns shooting each other

 

[MirageMew2]

I mean Psyonix have Mario, Luigi, and Metroid cars for Switch Rocket League, and that’s now owned by Epic Games. They’ve got cross-cosmetics coming between the racing mode and RL so there’s your window.

 

[Gambit2483]

is Minecraft bigger than Nintendo?

That was a unique collaboration. They are more open to those kinds of collaboration than just tossing Mario into a shooting game with 200 other IPs running on an iPhone. It's different.

 

[nial]

All Nintendo owned characters fall under the same umbrella though, they won't put them in games with realistic guns shooting each other

You have no idea.

 

[Mephisto40]

You have no idea.

No idea about what?

Please show me a game with a Nintendo character in it holding an AK47 or a sniper rifle

 

[nial]

No idea about what?

Please show me a game with a Nintendo character in it holding an AK47 or a sniper rifle

Geist (video game) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[MiguelItUp]

Yeah, I don't think we'll ever see Mario and characters in Fortnite. But maybe Splatoon or something? I don't think it'll ever happen, but there could be other believable ways Nintendo COULD collab if they really wanted to.

Honestly, they could make their on BR with Mario and crew power ups, items, etc. and it could do really well as long as it's done really well. But clearly they don't want to go that route or I'm sure they would've by now.

 

[AJUMP23]

I struggle to find a use case where this benefits Nintendo. They do not need the money, they do not need the exposure, they do not need hearts and minds.

 

[Wastelander92]

Mario with a gun, yea doubt that's every going to happen.

He’s had them in Smash.

 

[Holammer]

Fortnite is one mass shooting and spicy headline away from becoming a toxic brand so Nintendo would be wise to give Epic a wide berth.
Sega is always desperate for a quick buck, try getting Sonic instead.

(to be fair, Sega is keen on removing guns from the games & comics nowadays.)

 

[SantaC]

isnt fortnite dead yet? I havent kept up with the news.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

 

[ResurrectedContrarian]

isnt fortnite dead yet? I havent kept up with the news.

we should be so lucky

but no, the GAAS demon is still alive and melting children's brains

 

[ultrazilla]

Mario with a gun, yea doubt that's every going to happen.

Yeah I think the imagery of Mario doing 50 caliber headshots is not quite the look Nintendo goes for.
Epic should move on. This aint gonna happen.

 

[poppabk]

isnt fortnite dead yet? I havent kept up with the news.

They just transformed it into a roblox style game platform, with music and lego tie-ins for some big custom modes. Even if BR dies, Fortnite will survive.
Almost guarantees that licensed Nintendo stuff is out.

 

[IFireflyl]

Epic will probably just sue them.

 

[Meicyn]

lmao

 

[FoxMcChief]

lmao

That’s not Fortnite.

 

[Codes 208]

He’s had them in Smash.

Smash bros only has star wars-esque Laser guns (aside from characters with built in guns like bayonetta or joker, which mario cant use regardless).

Its the same with rabbids, apparently when they had the original draft the guns were more realistic and Nintendo refused to greenlight it. So they replaced the guns with blasters. nintendo strictly doesnt want mario to hold realistic guns

 

[SmokedMeat]

I don’t see it happening. Fortnite stands to gain more from this than Nintendo.

 

[Interfectum]

The way Fortnite is being positioned now, I could see LEGO Nintendo characters being available for that mode but not available in something like a Battle Royale.

 

[Kataploom]

Epic gonna sue Nintendo now for that? Like "they are the most iconic characters in gaming history so they shouldn't be attached to a megacorporation's will, they are FOR THE PEOPLE!" or some shit like that? lmao

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Fortnite is a bigger IP than Mario, Zelda, and Metroid combined. They should be grateful the new King of the medium recognizes them.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Mario with a gun, twerking and shit?

 

[Kataploom]

Mario vs. Rabbids

I'm sure they didn't allow Ubisoft to use normal realistic guns, to the point they couldn't even be handled like IRL guns but had to make them goofy and cartoon-y like making it cover all hand and whatever in order for Nintendo to approve

 

[Kataploom]

I mean Psyonix have Mario, Luigi, and Metroid cars for Switch Rocket League, and that’s now owned by Epic Games. They’ve got cross-cosmetics coming between the racing mode and RL so there’s your window.

AFAIK RL first party cosmetics are limited to be seen in the platform version only. So you won't see a Kratos car outside of PS version, a Master Chief car outside of Xbox version or a Mario car outside of Switch

 

[Robb]

I bet they do. Maybe if Tim puts out an extra big pile of cookies and milk for Santa this year his wish can come true.

 

[yurinka]

Since Epic doesn't want to pay the 30%, does Epic pay 100% of the revenue of these licensed items to the IP owners?

 

[a multicultural team of v]

isnt fortnite dead yet? I havent kept up with the news.

At one point over 2 million people concurrently played the new Lego mode. No, it is not dead.

 

[YCoCg]

EPIC want everything in Fortnite, hell, EPIC WANT YOU in Fortnite, yes you, the person reading this, how much of a one off payment do you want to have your likeness scanned into the game?

 

[Kaljinyu]

Nintendo being in Fortnite would be submission, not partnership. Fortnite would forever have this over Nintendo.

Nintendo still has its pride. Won't be dominated without a fight.

 

[nikos]

Maybe a licensed kart for Rocket Racing, something in LEGO Fortnite, or an upcoming game within Fortnite but they aren't getting them for Battle Royale.

 

[Interfectum]

isnt fortnite dead yet? I havent kept up with the news.

Quintessential GAF post.

 

[SantaC]

At one point over 2 million people concurrently played the new Lego mode. No, it is not dead.

Thats sad news then

 

[Mephisto40]

Geist (video game) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The Geist IP isn't owned by Nintendo

 

[nial]

The Geist IP isn't owned by Nintendo

When you have no idea what to respond a day later and proceed to lie.

The Geist franchise is currently owned by Nintendo, due to their contract with n-Space.

 

[Mephisto40]

When you have no idea what to respond a day later and proceed to lie.

That information is from 11 years ago