Ep. 30: Ariana Grande, Fortnite, & the Inevitable Brand-Singularity Point

Where we dropping, gays? This week, Laurence and Eric discuss the recent Ariana Grande Rift Tour Fortnite concert: the latest and most ambitious virtual interactive concert by the battle royale shooter-turned-multimedia social gaming hub(?) We don’t quite know how to describe what Fortnite even really is these days. 
We talk about Fortnite’s history and what it has become: a massive multimedia global cultural phenomenon that hosts in-game concerts, events, and more branding deals than the eye (of the storm) can see. This of course, inevitably leads us to a conversation on one of our favorite topics here on Gay For Play: late-stage capitalism babyyy!

Do we have any ownership over any of the media we love? Can we still find genuine enjoyment out of the media we hold near & dear to us, even when we know we’re being constantly marketed and advertised to? Does a twink gaymer in an Ariana skin have any chance of winning a Victory Royale? How does Pokemon Unite and The Wachowski’s 2008 film Speed Racer fit into all of this? 

We attempt to answer all of these questions and more on this week’s episode!

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Intro and outro music by Connor Marsh (@connorjmarshmallow)

Show art by Nick Adams (@nickadams.art)

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MUSIC THIS WEEK:
"Chug Jug With You" by Leviathan