When we began speaking about launching Destiny 2 on the Epic Games Store, the purpose was to make the sport much more obtainable to folks everywhere in the world, it doesn’t matter what platform they most well-liked. But as quickly as Bungie and Epic began speaking, they realized they had been enormous followers of one another, and issues began snowballing. This is how we ended up with a crossover spanning three video games, six characters/outfits, a map recreation, and three Guardian lessons reimagined as rock-em-sock-em jellybeans.

Both studios had been embarking on new territory. Destiny 2 doesn’t have characters that come from different video games. And on Epic’s aspect, though they rejoice welcoming an enormous assortment of recognizable faces into their universe, none of their authentic Fortnite outfits have appeared in some other sport… till now.

“When we started talking about who would be coming to Destiny 2 from Fortnite, we knew we wanted iconic, instantly recognizable outfits that were also fan-favorites, ” mentioned Joss Price, director of strategic partnerships at Bungie. “We came up with our short list and when we went to Epic, they were already on the same page.”

The record learn: Drift, Black Knight, Oblivion.

Since the groups at Epic and Bungie are huge followers of one another’s video games, it wasn’t stunning that they noticed eye to eye when selecting outfits. It was straightforward to think about the glossy and streamlined Oblivion as a Hunter. In different circumstances, it wasn’t simply that Drift’s lengthy coat matched a Warlock’s silhouette, the truth that they’re imbued with magic additionally got here into play. Black Knight as a Titan? Easy alternative.

In a well-established universe, it could possibly typically be arduous to specify what makes one thing click on into place or stick out like a sore thumb. Luckily, each Destiny 2 and Fortnite have been getting common updates for years now and each groups have gotten actually good at figuring out when one thing blends seamlessly with the universe.

Justin Dazet, Destiny 2’s commerce space lead, spoke glowingly concerning the group of artists working at Bungie. “Our artists are incredible at taking something that might not seem like it fits on paper and approaching it from a place we could have never imagined. We hold our art pillars very close, and I think you can see that in the consistency of our releases. Our goal is to ensure that you’re never pulled out of the fantasy.”

There’s no single technique to be a Guardian. And though they take many kinds and have an infinite number of types (#ThreadsOfLight), we share the neighborhood’s respect for the Destiny universe, and may sense when one thing feels misplaced.

We additionally share the neighborhood’s ardour for taking part in with non-canonical parts—in spite of everything, we by no means stopped being followers. Our purpose is to strike a stability that permits us to flex our creativity in new methods whereas mindfully reeling issues in till they really feel at dwelling.

Price remembers, “A guiding phrase for us was, ‘Authentically Destiny 2, unmistakably Fortnite.’ We were blending two universes and we knew that staying true to both was possible or we wouldn’t have attempted it.”

Flying in the other way (probably in a Battle Bus) we discover three iconic Destiny 2 characters: the Titan Vanguard, Commander Zavala; the Warlock Vanguard, Ikora Rey; and the time-traveling Exo Stranger.

“Just like us, Epic has a very good idea for how things should fit in their game and what their design principles are,” mentioned Bungie Art Lead, Josh Deeb. “The fact that they’re fans of Destiny 2 made remaining faithful to what makes our characters special easy—it felt like we were speaking the same language.”

The groups recognized options that make every character immediately recognizable, and sought to protect these key points:

●      Zavala’s glowing eyes that are a characteristic of the Awoken race.

●      Ikora’s facial expressions—a signature of the Warlock’s intimidating and studious persona.

●      The Exo Stranger’s robotic parts distinguish her from her two organic companions.

In addition to the three Destiny 2 characters making their Fortnite debut, Epic additionally labored with creator group PWR to construct a complete Destiny 2 map in Fortnite.

“Javelin-4 is one of the most iconic and well-played maps and it ported really well,” mentioned Price. “The team at PWR are huge Destiny fans, and the map was extensively playtested until it struck a balance that felt true to both games.”

“As life-long fans of Bungie and avid players of Destiny 2 and Fortnite, it has been an incredible opportunity to work alongside such talented teams,” mentioned PWR’s inventive director of sport improvement Boomer Gurney. “Bringing these two iconic games to life in one experience was challenging and only possible thanks to the passion of everyone involved. This project has been our most playtested game to date, and while it was invaluable to help fine-tune and capture the spirit of both titles, I think everyone was just having a lot of fun playing. We’re very proud of what we’ve been able to create together and excited for players to experience it live in Fortnite.”

Dima Goryainov, Destiny’s universe idea artwork lead, spoke about one of many largest challenges PWR confronted with the recreation of Javelin-4. “PWR did an incredible job of finding really creative ways to use the existing Fortnite asset library and Creative toolset to very closely match the visuals of Destiny 2. Some areas of the map look nearly identical to the original Javelin-4 and even for something as specific as the rocket, enough similar pieces were creatively utilized in order to still get the overall feel across. They absolutely nailed the look in terms of visual design, detail density, and lighting.”

Joining the occasion and including a bit of further chaos to the crossover, Mediatonic made the Fall Guys collab as painless as a pillow combat. As builders of Fall Guys , Mediatonic are all professionals at this and have nailed including new characters to their universe loads of occasions. But for us, this was untraveled territory. We’ve by no means seen the three Destiny lessons represented as Bumbling Beans earlier than—most of us had by no means even thought of what that may appear to be—however as quickly as we witnessed Mediatonic’s eye-opening implementation from idea artwork to lovely playable characters, the approval on our aspect was a breeze. I imply, c’mon:

As if that wasn’t sufficient, Katie Lennox, director of shopper merchandise at Bungie, hinted at one thing each groups are engaged on, “I can’t say much now, but we’re really excited to be partnering with our friends at Fall Guys on some extra special squishy offerings for fans that will be revealed at a later date!”

Follow Fall Guys and the Bungie Store on Twitter to ensure you get up to date when the announcement occurs.

In hindsight, this partnership was a no brainer. There’s lots of crossover between communities; individuals who wish to play Fortnite find yourself liking Destiny and vice versa. In reality, it was straightforward to search out examples inside each our studios. Here at Bungie, Dazet can’t begin his day with no sport of Fall Guys. Destiny 2’s Game Director, Joe Blackburn, loves enjoying Fortnite together with his household, and Epic’s Chief Creative Officer, Donald Mustard, has mentioned that Destiny 2 is certainly one of his favourite video games of all time.

When you mix fandom with a ardour for creativity, the outcomes might be astounding; simply have a look at the unbelievable work that comes out of each communities. That magical mixture was discovered all through this collaboration.

“Although this was our first game of collaboration, it felt like we were at the World Series,” Said Deeb. “And to stretch the analogy a bit, when you work in games, it often feels like you’re in the same sport’s league. So, it’s understandable that some people might see that as a hyper competitive landscape, but it’s the opposite. We’re all fans of playing the game, so to speak, and getting to partner up like this is incredibly fun.”

And so, as you put together to take your new Black Knight decoration out for a Nightfall spin, throw a fluffy-fisted haymaker, or leap out of the Battle Bus with signature Sparrows and sword-themed pickaxes in hand, depend your self among the many tons of of followers that made this a actuality. We hope you’re keen on enjoying what we made as a lot as we do.

We’re all Guardians, now. See you starside.

Destiny 2, Fortnite, and Fall Guys can be found without spending a dime on the Epic Games Store and the PlayStation Store. PlayStation homeowners who hyperlink their account will be capable to unlock a brand new Destiny 2 emblem set to launch on September 1. Destiny 2 content material is accessible right now in Fortnite. Fortnite-themed armor ornaments can be found right now in Destiny 2. Guardian-themed costumes coming to Fall Guys starting on September 17.