Following several successful, high-profile virtual concerts, including pop star Ariana Grande’s metaverse debut, Epic Games’ Fortnite launched its Soundwave Series — a series of virtual musical experiences within Fortnite hosted by a variety of artists — last fall.
The Soundwave Series has been all about spotlighting artists from around the world and kicked off with a performance by Egyptian artist Mohamed Hamak in October, followed by Australian singer-songwriter in January. This Thursday, June 9th, Japanese pop artist and music producer Gen Hoshino will be the next music artist to take part in the series. The show will begin at 8am ET and will air back-to-back for the next 72 hours.
“Made by creator team 3D Lab, Hoshino’s interactive experience puts players in an evolving space, with changing colors, scenery, and activities to match the mood,” reads Epic Games’ announcement. “At the end of this highly emotional performance, players should not only feel more connected with Hoshino, but also themselves!”
The show will be set in its own specially designed interactive virtual environment, distinct from the two that have come before it, creating a unique experience tailored to each artist’s vibe. Unlike previous virtual concerts on Fortnite, such as Ariana Grande’s and Travis Scott’s, artists participating in the Shockwave Series do not perform in the virtual world as avatars — instead, their pre-recorded performances are broadcast on screens within the experience.
Gen Hoshino’s show will include a special Koi Dance Emote that fans will be able to activate with their avatars, inspired by the dance from the music video of Hoshino’s popular “Koi” track. After the experience, fans who tuned in will get XP (experience points) and an exclusive the Soundwave Series – Gen Hoshino Spray for use in the game.
At certain times during the event, players will also be able to watch the show via Picture-in-Picture if they prefer to tune in while playing elsewhere in Fortnite, although they will not be able to participate in the interactive elements.
Epic Games has announced that the next virtual performance will be by French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura