iHeartMedia today announced “A Special Ed Sheeran Immersive Experience” in iHeartLand, celebrating the release of his album “- (Subtract)” and the upcoming “Autumn Variations.” Accessed through iHeartLand’s State Farm Park, the special will feature performances from Ed Sheeran as players explore exclusive scenes created around his songs. The special becomes the first third-party music experience built using Epic Games’ Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). “A Special Ed Sheeran Immersive Experience” will be available in Fortnite starting on October 5, 2023 through October 9, 2023.
Players and fans will experience Ed Sheeran’s music in a brand-new way when they drop into iHeartLand and find themselves navigating explorable worlds that have been inspired by Sheeran’s songs. The experience was designed utilizing UEFN. These immersive worlds will be inspired by Sheeran’s own songs performed exclusively for iHeartRadio to celebrate his albums “- (Subtract)” – which arrived this past spring to universal acclaim – and forthcoming “Autumn Variations,” arriving everywhere on September 29. Users will be able to watch Sheeran perform throughout the different worlds as video screens flood every scene, with the setlist including performances of “Eyes Closed,” “Shape of You,” “Boat” and “Life Goes On.”
“Ed Sheeran is one of today’s biggest superstars and is known for creating unique music experiences that captivate his audiences,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “We knew he was the perfect artist to feature for our first immersive experience, built in partnership with Epic Games. We want to continue to push boundaries of tech and innovation for music and gaming fans, allowing them to go deeper into the songs, lyrics and meaning behind the music in ways that are native to the Fortnite environment. We’re sure Fortnite players will love this immersive experience in iHeartLand’s State Farm Park.”
Throughout the experience, fans will be able to explore scenery all built with UEFN. Each world is distinct and unique, ranging from a metropolitan city at night, a boxing ring in a desolate city during sunset, a high-speed boat cruising through a rich ocean ecosystem and a luscious forest setting. All four scenes were meticulously imbued with Easter eggs relating to Sheeran and his music.
“It’s great to see iHeartMedia continuing to bring world-class artists like Ed Sheeran into Fortnite through their iHeartLand experience,” said Nate Nanzer, VP of Global Partnerships at Epic Games. “Unreal Editor for Fortnite allows creators and brands of any size to build completely new types of games and experiences, all published and available to Fortnite’s millions of players around the world.”
iHeartMedia’s iHeartLand first launched in Fortnite in August 2022, with State Farm as its charter naming rights partner. Built using Fortnite’s Creative toolset and now UEFN, iHeartLand combines compelling gameplay with a persistent cadence of entertaining events, programming and one-of-a-kind fan experiences. Fans can check out iHeartLand and the all-new State Farm Park now in Fortnite, where live events and performances happen regularly.
“Our collaboration with iHeartMedia has allowed State Farm to continue to be at the forefront of culture and innovation,” said Alyson Griffin, Marketing Vice President, State Farm. “State Farm was the first company to have a naming rights deal in the metaverse with State Farm Park in iHeartLand, bringing gaming fans an entirely new and immersive music experience with 25+ concert and podcast events featuring some of today’s biggest artists. State Farm Park has allowed us to reach the next generation of customers where they are and we’re thrilled to be working with iHeartMedia on cutting-edge and entertaining activations like this one.”
