It’s official: Shohei Ohtani is coming to Fortnite. The MLB announced the news via its blog, starting with the words, “Global sensations in the world of baseball and video games are about to collide.” The Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar is getting his own custom skin in the game’s latest update on March 17. The following day, he will be taking to the field in Tokyo for the MLB opener between the Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.
In the Fortnite Icon series, Ohtani will be rocking the Dodgers’ home (white) and away (gray) uniforms. There will also be a LEGO variant for LEGO Fortnite and the Decoy Back Bling, a bobblehead based on his famous pup. The accompanying emotes feature Decoy throwing baseballs to hit, and another which makes positive energy appear with Shohei’s “magic wand” routine.
On top of all that, there’s the Samurai Shohei outfit with a pitching arm that becomes fiery after each elimination. On March 15, two days prior to the official launch, the Shohei Ohtani Cup will take place. This solo battle royale tournament will give the top-earning players in each region the opportunity to unlock the Samurai Shohei skin early.
Ohtani Becomes Latest Sports Star To Feature in Fortnite’s Icon Series
Ohtani is set to become the first MLB player to feature in the Fortnite Icon Series. Other famous sports stars include the likes of Naomi Osaka, Patrick Mahoney, Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Chloe Kim. From the world of soccer, players such as Neymar Jr., Harry Kane, Marco Reus and, most famously, Lionel Messi have their own Fortnite skins.
Many singers have also made it into the popular battle royale title, such as Eminem, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Snoop Dogg, Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish. In January, Japan’s virtual idol, Hatsune Miku, joined the Fortnite Icon series.
