Fortnite adds another virtual influencer to its battle royale

Last season, one of the more curious additions to Fortnite was Guggimon, a terrifying-looking rabbit creature that also happened to be a virtual influencer with millions of followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Guggimon was created by a company called Superplastic — which has previously worked with the likes of the Gorillaz — and now it’s bringing another one of its characters to the battle royale: Janky, a streetwear cat (I think?) that’s available in the Fortnite item shop starting tonight.

It may seem like an odd fit, but Fortnite’s ever-growing metaverse has steadily been spreading to just about every facet of pop culture, from sports to music to superheroes. With all that going on, some CG characters that partner with Gucci and do Christie’s NFT drops don’t feel all that out of place. It’s also part of a growing trend of these virtual influencers moving beyond social networks to places like music videos, press conferences, and physical installations.