Pop star Ariana Grande held a concert in a video game

This story about connecting games and pop music, boiled down, in 1:37 minutes.

What's the fuss?

One of the biggest pop stars in the world held a non-live concert in one of the most popular video games. Not the first digital concert, but it sure shows where music entertainment could possibly be headed.

The situation

Fortnite, originally being a simple battle royale game, has evolved into its own entertainment platform. 

• From its collaborations with household names to hosting crossover events with juggernauts such as Marvel, Fortnite is an entertainment powerhouse in and of itself.
• Among these special events are mini concerts, pre-recorded by the artist but offers a free musical experience like no other.

Imagine sliding down a rainbow-colored waterslide, bouncing around a psychedelic forest of pink paintbrushes, and shooting down a giant lightning demon in a one-engine airplane - all while listening to one of the most prominent pop stars of our generation. 

• This was all possible during Ariana Grande's seven minute virtual concert as part of Fornite's musical event The Rift Tour.
• Ariana Grande joins other popular music artists Travis Scott and Marshmello in hosting their own in-game concerts, however the interactivity available to fans seems to have reached new highs.

Boiling it down

Especially in a COVID environment where in-person concerts aren't entirely possible, having a concert in a video game is arguably a fantastic alternative. 

• Like a live concert, a virtual concert in a game allows fans to interact and share their experiences with their friends vs. a filmed experience.
• These game concerts also exposes the artist to a potential new audience of millions with ranging tastes.

Fortnite's The Rift Tour allowed for more interactivity by fans, having learned a few lessons since Travis Scott's virtual concert which was generally more passive. 

• This may give us a hint of what Fornite's future looks like - an interactive platform that offers gamified social experiences with peers (aka a pseudo social network).
• By incorporating popular culture such as Ariana Grande herself, it looks like the four-year-old game plans to stay relevant for as long possible in order to realize their plans.

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