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Naomi Osaka isn’t just an amazing tennis player or the highest paid female athlete in the world, she’s also a force in the fashion world.
On Monday, February 28, it was announced that Osaka is the newest addition to the popular battle royale game Fortnite as part of their Icon Series. With this honor, she follows in the footsteps of none other than LeBron James, who Epic Games added to Fortnite through the same series last year.
The tennis star is joining the game with two new outfits — the Naomi Osaka and Dark Priestess outfits — inspired by her heritage. They were both designed with help from her sister, Mari. Gamers will be able to apply the outfits on their in-game characters beginning March 3 at 7 p.m. EST.
“I’ve been playing Fortnite for a long time — when I saw LeBron had joined the Icon Series, it made me want to join the Fortnite family, too,” Osaka in a statement. “It’s really amazing to be able to connect with so many people around the world.”
To celebrate the new outfits, Epic Games put up a mural in West Hollywood on Monday. Tomorrow, the tennis star will team upwith Twitch streamer berleezy to give a first look at the outfits in action and on March 2, gamers can compete in the Naomi Osaka Cup for a chance to unlock both outfits, as well as the Royale Racket and Portalforger Paddle Pickaxes and a spray before the official launch on the 3rd.
“The ‘Icon Series’ is the ultimate celebration of the most dynamic figures in culture for Fortnite’s audience of millions, and there’s no one more perfect than Naomi Osaka to join the Series as the first female athlete,” said Nate Nanzer, Global VP of Partnerships, Epic Games in a statement. “Just as Fortnite is more than a game, Naomi is so much more than an athlete.”
