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English Premier League Champions and 2023’s UEFA Champions League winners Manchester City is set to launch a new experience in Fortnite tomorrow called ‘The Ladder’.
Available from 4 am Eastern Time, The Ladder features a series of one-on-one competitions where “players face off for the right to ascend a series of virtual arenas inspired by Manchester City branding”, according to a report in Digiday.
City have dabbled inside Fortnite’s universe earlier this year already by allowing players to see the club’s kit for this season, as well as the Premier League trophy within the game.
The Ladder however is the first map the club has been involved with and, although not an official partnership with Epic Games, City Football Group Head of eSports, Gaming, and Metaverse Kris Lewis told Digiday that they had “collaborated” with the publisher to determine how best to activate within the game.
“We’re really trying to set a precedent with the map and set something that does have the potential to live long-term in the ecosystem, and that really does resonate with players in the longer term,” said Lewis.
“What exactly that horizon looks like will be shaped by the map and what we learn from the launch process.”
Manchester City is one of the teams within the Premier League that runs its own eSports team alongside its on-field operation and fields a roster in both EA FC and Fortnite.
The new Fortnite content coincides with the team’s pre-season tour of the USA which sees the first game v Celtic take place in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on 23rd July.
According to DemandSage, the US has the highest number of Fortnight players, accounting for around 22% of the global player base of the game. It is likely City is eyeing this audience an as expansion target going forward.
