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Fortnite x Shell is probably the last thing players expect to see happening, but it is. Shell, a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, took a leap into the Metaverse and created their own custom map. This can be accessed by players via the Island Code section in-game. While this is not the first time a company has tried to promote themselves via a video game, the Fortnite community is just not having it.
Many are in agreeance that an oil company promoting itself in-game is not something that should have been allowed to happen. One user even stated:
"This is just the typical brainwashing of kids by gas companies."
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Fortnite community enraged with Shell collaboration
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While the community at large is open and accepting of different brands being a part of the Metaverse, they have strong opinions about Shell. Given that fossil fuels are a major factor in global warming, many Reddit users feel that Shell is trying to brainwash young users.
The main concern is that they are being manipulated to normalize cars as the only means of transportation via gamification. As such, many feel that this is the reason why their in-game map called Shell Ultimate Road Trips focuses on driving.
Players can hop into a vehicle and explore six challenging terrains. Given that the map's description specifically mentions "powered by Shell V-Power® NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline," all the more reason for the community to act hostile towards the brand, here is what a few users had to say:
As seen from just a few comments, the community is not happy with the Fortnite x Shell collaboration. Most are of the opinion that this is brainwashing kids who play the game. Users are dumbfounded as to how Epic Games agreed to this collaboration. Well, as it turns out, this is not an official collaboration by any means.
The Creative Island is not owned or endorsed by Epic Games
While the Fortnite x Shell collaboration has upset the apple cart, it has to be noted that Epic Games is in no way aligned with the company. Since the introduction of UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite), many companies have taken to creating their own maps in-game. As far as the terms and conditions go, if the maps are made in accordance with the rules, anyone can make one in-game. Such is the scenario with Shell.
They have even mentioned in the promotional creative that it is not endorsed or administered by Epic Games. In a legal sense, the developers have nothing to do with this collaboration.
Since everything has been done by the book, the collaboration is perfectly fine. That being said, given the extreme backlash, it's safe to assume that not many players are willing to even try out the Fortnite x Shell map.
