Ed Sheeran, the renowned 'Shape of You' artist, has revealed that he passed on an opportunity to perform in Fortnite because he doesn't play the game. During an interview on the Warnes Way podcast, Sheeran explained that his management team approached him about following in the footsteps of his collaborator Travis Scott, who has appeared in the game. Sheeran declined, emphasizing that he prefers partnerships to feel genuine by aligning with products or activities he genuinely uses or enjoys—and Fortnite wasn't one of them.
Sheeran noted that he does play Pokémon, which led to his 2022 collaboration with The Pokémon Company. This partnership resulted in a music video for his song 'Celestial' infused with Pokémon themes. Reflecting on the decision, Sheeran said, 'They asked me to do something for Fortnite, my record label, and I was like... 'I don't play Fortnite.' I feel like whenever you see my face next to any product, I want it to be next to something I actually do.' He cited examples like his 2019 collaboration with Heinz ketchup, where he launched limited-edition 'Edchup' bottles, and his guitar promotions, stressing the importance of authenticity.
While many of Sheeran's collaborators, including Travis Scott, Bruno Mars, and J Balvin, have Fortnite skins, and some of his music is available in the game as tracks and emotes, Sheeran remains focused on genuine connections. Fortnite has also recently teamed up with Game of Thrones, adding characters from George R.R. Martin's series, though there's no indication of Sheeran's own unpopular Game of Thrones character making an appearance.
