In 2024, the colossal gaming platform Fortnite continues to draw in thousands of players across the world.
Recent data reveals an astonishing fact: Fortnite players have collectively spent more hours in Fortnite than in games like Grand Theft Auto V, Roblox, EA Sports FC 24, and Call of Duty combined.
This sustained popularity has positioned Fortnite as a strategic ground for impressive partnerships, with one of the most notable collaborations being with the renowned eyewear brand Oakley.
This groundbreaking collaboration was launched in November 2023, a month that witnessed the return of the original battle royale map and classic guns, catapulting Fortnite to its highest number of players in a single day in its six-year history.
This upward trajectory in popularity set the stage for the Oakley collaboration, marking a pivotal moment for both the gaming and eyewear industries.
The Evolution Of Fortnite
Fortnite, born in 2017, has evolved far beyond its initial conception as a battle royale game.
As highlighted in our article FPS Games and the Metaverse, the game has gradually transformed into a Metaverse platform, allowing users to transcend traditional gaming boundaries with unique in-game events such as concerts and dance parties.
These experiences underscore Fortnite’s commitment to providing users with immersive and diverse content, redefining the gaming landscape.
This journey has been punctuated by Fortnite’s strategic collaborations, demonstrating the strength of its brand and extending beyond gaming into different fields.
In 2021, Fortnite collaborated with French luxury fashion house Balenciaga. The Balenciaga x Fortnite partnership created authentic Balenciaga looks for Fortnite avatars — typical of former Fortnite collabs like Live at Risky in Season 1 or Spider-Gwen in Season 4 — while introducing a new physical clothing series inspired by the game.
Building on the success of these previous ventures, Fortnite has positioned itself as a hub for creative expression and innovation within the gaming and fashion industries.
Fast forward to the present, and Fortnite has once again stepped into the world of fashion, this time partnering with the esteemed eyewear brand Oakley.
The Oakley x Fortnite Collaboration
The Oakley x Fortnite collaboration is a testament to the gaming giant’s knack for building new shared languages of creativity.
Oakley, a brand synonymous with cutting-edge eyewear technology and design, has introduced a web exclusive release as a result of this collaboration.
Oakley, renowned for its commitment to innovation, has a rich history of introducing groundbreaking lens technologies.
All of Oakley’s sunglasses come with the option of adding Prizm™ lenses, released in 2015, to enhance color and contrast.
This helps provide wearers with an unparalleled level of visual detail, whether their choice of frames is the pioneer Frogskin or even the exclusive limited edition Holbrook™ Lunar New Year Collection. In 2020, Oakley upgraded their choices with the release of Prizm™ Sport lenses, catering especially to athletes.
Building on this legacy, Oakley launched the Prizm Gaming 2.0 Lens technology in 2022 to empower the next generation of gamers.
This model is optimized to attenuate light from the OLED and LED screens, filtering glare and reducing 30% of LED blue light (400-500nm).
It also provides gamers with enhanced visual contrast and sharper vision, allowing for faster reaction times while reducing eye strain in extended gaming sessions. Of course, these lenses accompany the Helux Fortnite within the web-exclusive Oakley x Fortnite collaboration.
Meanwhile, the Hydra Fortnite comes with the golden Prizm™ 24K lens, one part of Oakley’s everyday lens collection. This uses a bronze base tint for a warmer appearance with 11% visible light transmission, which helps increase brightness and depth perception in lower lighting conditions typical in gaming rooms.
Beyond the lenses, the frames ensure a balanced fit, utilizing O Matter™ material for Helux Fortnite and Oakley’s BiO-Matter® for Hydra Fortnite.
The former goes a step above traditional acetate in providing strength and flexibility while retaining ultra-lightweightness.
Meanwhile, the latter boasts the same lightweight feel and durability as the original O-Matter, despite its sustainable composition of castor bean bio-resin.
Lastly, an optimized field-of-view and adjustable Unobtainium™ nose pad from both allow all-day comfort for an elevated gaming experience.
The ability to wear sunglasses equipped with advanced gaming-specific lens technology adds a layer of immersion to the gaming experience.
Beyond aesthetics, the collaboration opens avenues for self-expression within the gaming community.
From Oakley’s perspective, the collaboration reinforces its commitment to pushing boundaries.
By partnering with a gaming giant like Fortnite, Oakley extends its reach beyond traditional sports and lifestyle markets into the thriving gaming community, aligning with the broader trend of brands recognizing the significance of gaming as a cultural force.
As Fortnite continues to be a gaming juggernaut, partnerships like these not only enhance the gaming experience for millions but also redefine the way brands engage with the gaming community.
The exclusive release of Oakley’s Fortnite-inspired sunglasses thus stands as a testament to the power of collaboration in shaping the future of gaming and fashion.