Fortnite is all about swag. Players’ lockers are filled to bursting with outfits that can transform them into Spider-Man, Lara Croft or Snoop Dogg. These so-called skins come and go on a daily basis in the Fortnite Shop, a hyper-capitalist mecca of digital oddities, from purchasable dance moves (emotes) to parachuting gliders.
All of it comes at a cost, naturally, helping developer Epic Games to rake in billions each year (that’s cold hard cash, not V-Bucks).
Now, a new type of cosmetic has landed in the Fortnite Shop: virtual sneakers. The footwear simulacrums, which come from Nike and Jordan at launch, are the latest way for players to stand out from the crowd.
On any given day, the Fortnite Island looks like the closest thing to Ready Player One, a pop culture metaverse that Mark Zuckerberg would hack his arm off to emulate. How do you separate yourself from the pack? With a pair of Nike Cortez trainers, of course. If they’re good enough for Jeremy Allen White…
With just five days to buy them, Epic will be hoping Kicks elicit the same type of mania as real-world sneaker drops from the likes of Nike and Adidas, which are the equivalent of treasure hunts for hypebeasts.
Here’s how to bag Fortnite Kicks and how much the first crop of sneakers costs.
How to get Fortnite Kicks
After a short delay, Kicks are now available in the Fortnite Shop. They come in four varieties, each of which will set you back a certain amount of hard-earned V-Bucks.
Battle Pass owners can also unlock and equip the AJ1 Black Toe Reimagined (the classic high-top silhouette from Nike’s Jordan brand) by completing their corresponding quests.
How much are Fortnite Kicks?
Epic is dropping two lots of Kicks in the Fortnite Shop, with the first group of four trainers available from November 21-26 and the second from November 22-26.
The first round of Kicks are on the shelf. Check the Shop to find any of these in stock:
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) November 22, 2024
◾Nike Air Foamposite One ‘Galaxy’
◾Nike Cortez Leather OG
◾Nike Shox R4 ‘Comet Red’
◾ Chomp Stompershttps://t.co/cSb1qpwhZq pic.twitter.com/U06KBbpu8u
Kicks drop 1
Kicks drop 2
Seeing as V-Bucks can only be bought in batches, that means you’re looking at spending at least £45 to buy them all (if you’re starting from zero). We can just imagine the look of horror on parents’ faces when their kids come asking for money for fake trainers.
There’s also a free Show ‘Em Off emote in the shop that sees your character do a twirl and point to their shoes, so you can flex some more on your mates.
Epic previously announced that Kicks would work with more than 500 existing skins at launch, with plans for more skins to be compatible by spring 2025. You can check in your locker to see how many of your avatars can rock the new trainers.