Licensed cars are more regularly appearing beyond car-based video games, as Aston Martin announced that the Aston Martin Valhalla now available in Fortnite and Rocket League as of December 18.
The car, like most items in Fortnite and Rocket League, requires only one unlock or purchase to be used in both titles thanks to cross-game ownership.
This is a collaboration that, as Aston Martin describes it in a press release, “pushes the boundaries of engineering excellence on the road and track, with [developer Epic Games]’s unmatched creative flair.”
The Aston Martin Valhalla is the British “ultra-luxury performance” brand’s first mid-engine plug-in-hybrid supercar. Earlier in life it was dubbed as the “son of Valkyrie,” in reference to the Aston Martin Valkyrie, the brand’s no-holds-barred hypercar designed by the one of the most successful car designer in Formula 1, Adrian Newey.
While the Valkyrie is an extreme, performance-focused hypercar that happens to be road legal, the Valhalla is a more reasonable, elegant mid-engine car to wear the wings badge. It’s still a wild-looking car considering Aston Martin’s standards of making similarly oblong-shaped front-engine grand tourers.
We made an F1 reference here because the Aston Martin Valhalla in Fortnite and Rocket League will don the British racing green with lime green stripes and accents of a livery, which was seen previously in a promo video with Aston Martin’s F1 team driver (and current eldest statesman on the grid) Fernando Alonso at the wheel.
“Bringing Valhalla into the Fortnite ecosystem is an exciting step for Aston Martin,” said Stefano Saporetti, Director of Brand Diversification at Aston Martin. “Epic Games has revolutionised the way brands can authentically connect with younger audiences, and this collaboration puts the next generation directly in the driver’s seat. The Aston Martin Valhalla represents exceptional engineering and design, and Fortnite players will now be able to experience, virtually, the thrilling performance of our first-ever hybrid supercar.”
The Aston Martin Valhalla is also a Bond car, featured briefly in the latest film No Time To Die, and will also be young James Bond’s car of choice in 007: First Light.
Car brands have regularly expand their collaboration with video games beyond the expected car-based racing games where their brands are more or less expected to be there by existing fans. This is them expanding their brand’s reach beyond the already-activated car enthusiasts.
Aston Martin isn’t the only luxury car brand to have done this. Ferrari is already in Fortnite and Rocket League, if you can believe it, and they recently announced a partnership with another battle royale game PUBG Mobile. So the race to engage with the younger, non-racing game fans is on.