In Fortnite, you can now encounter the members of Metallica. Cool, but it’s not the first time rock stars have collaborated with video games.
Fortnite is now known for making bizarre collaborations with something from pop culture every season. Most recently, that was by adding weapons and vehicles from Mad Max. Music artists also pass in review. The most famous example is Travis Scott’s mega appearance in the game.
So a lot of contemporary pop culture, something that fits seamlessly with the game’s generally younger target audience. But now Fortnite also has a collaboration for the old metalheads among gamers: a collaboration with Metallica. Cool, but it’s not the first time major rock stars have appeared in games.
Metallica in Fortnite
There is certainly a chance that a large portion of the young target audience does not know who Metallica are. That is why it is extra nice that these metal giants are now playable characters in the game. Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammet and Robert Trujillo are now playable skins in the game.
It doesn’t stop there. In addition to some specific locations in Fortnite, items related to the band have also been added. For example, there is a special item called “Ride the Lightning,” a direct reference to Metallica’s album and song of the same name. With that item, you tear through the air on a lightning bolt while playing guitar.
(image: Epic Games)
Not only in Fortnite do great musicians appear
Fortnite has managed to put itself firmly on the map in terms of major collaborations in recent years. It certainly draws a lot of attention, but it’s not entirely new. Even before Fortnite existed, rock stars and celebrities appeared in video games.
Fred Durst – WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown! and Fight Club
The singer of Limp Bizkit stays true to his word when he sings “I’m gonna break your face tonight” in his hit Break Stuff. Fred Durst is, in fact, a playable character in not one, but three fighting games.
His participation in WWE series fits exactly with the singer’s image and the band’s popularity in the 2000s. Also in the game of Fight Club, Fred Durst appears as a hidden character when you complete the story mode. Just like Abraham Lincoln, by the way, which is a pretty strange choice. Who knows, maybe Fred Durst will still come to Fortnite.
(Image: WWE)
Phil Collins – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Could singer Phil Collins be looking forward to Grand Theft Auto 6 immensely like us? It just might, after all, he was featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. In a mission, the player must protect Phil Collins from a group of criminals who want to take money from him.
It is a typical GTA mission, but oddly enough, Phil Collins fits very well in the era in which the game is set: the 1980s. In GTA 5, Phil Collins is not seen, but of course we hear him on the radio and when Micheal’s character is introduced.
Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy Kilmister – Brutal Legend
Where Metallica in Fortnite is still somewhat of a surprise, the guest appearances in Brutal Legend are anyone’s guess. This 2009 game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is about Eddie Riggs, a roadie who is transported to a fantasy metal world.
Eddie Riggs is voiced by Jack Black, himself a big rock fan. So it’s really nice to see us encounter legendary rock stars Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy Kilmister (Mötörhead) in the game. Especially considering how big these two stars are, it could just be that one day we will see them pass by in Fortnite’s battle-royal.
(image: Electronic Arts)
David Bowie – Omikron: The Nomad Soul
No worries if you don’t know this game at all. It appeared in 1999 on the SEGA Dreamcast and PC and was not very well received. Omikron: The Nomad Soul has some strange controls and an even stranger story. In that regard, David Bowie’s guest appearance fits the game harshly.
In the game, we see the pop star as a kind of AI living in a computer world. He doesn’t have a big role in the game, but if you’re in the right place at the right time, you’ll see Bowie and his band perform. It’s a funny, but small cameo.
