I’ve never played Fortnite a day of my life, but with COVID-19 forcing the music industry to undergo a virtual revolution, it was only a matter of time before someone figured out a way to capitalize on the game’s enormous popularity.
And by someone, I mean Travis Scott.
On Thursday night, La Flame threw an in-game concert—yes, a concert in a damn video game—and broke a record or 17 by having over 12 million gamers in attendance. 12 million!
For those wondering what in the hell a video game concert even looks like, the Verge breaks down the rapper’s set as such:
Really, the entire Fortnite island was the stage. During the opening song a giant Scott stomped around the island, while players could run across the water to catch a glimpse. As the tracks changed, so did the visuals. At one point everything was fiery and Scott turned into a cyborg; later it looked like everyone had been transported to Tron. When “Highest in the Room” came on, the crowd was submerged underwater, along with a giant spaceman. There were rollercoasters and psychedelic effects and at the end players were literally flying around the planet.
Outside of what sounds like a complimentary acid trip, the audience was also treated to the world premiere of “The Scotts,” the brand spanking new collab between the Houston rapper and one of my personal favs, Kid Cudi.
Fortnite players figured something was up days ago when a concert stage was constructed at the Sweaty Sands beach in-game that featured a black stage on top of the water and multiple gold, inflatable Travis Scott heads.
To celebrate the surreal occasion, Scott thanked his fans on Twitter.
“Honestly today was one of the most inspiring days,” he tweeted on Thursday. “Love every single one of [you] guys. And I know times are weird for us. But for one moment to be able to have the ragers to rage where you are is amazing. Love [you] guys with all my body.”
If you missed last night’s festivities, worry not. Because apparently last night wasn’t just a one-off concert, but the first stop of his in-game Astronomical tour. So if you’re up for elbowing a few million people out the way for a front-row seat, here’s the full list of dates and times for the rest of the rest of his virtual Fortnite tour:
- Friday, April 24, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. ET
- Saturday, April 25, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. ET
- Saturday, April 25, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. ET
- Saturday, April 25, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. ET