Kicks Introduce a Playful Twist to Fortnite

You’re not imagining things or falling for a bizarre promotional stunt—though it’s undeniably clever marketing from the American shoe brand. This November, Epic Games introduced a new cosmetic item in Fortnite called Kicks. Now, players can deck out their characters with customized footwear, which means yes, Zuko can sport Nike sneakers in the heat of a battle royale.

The release of Kicks is being rolled out in two waves, each featuring a selection of shoes for players to snag. The first wave includes four pairs, each with its own price tag. Basic white leather Nike trainers are on the lineup for 800 V-bucks, while the snazzier, galaxy-patterned high tops will set you back 1,000 V-bucks. Personally, I’m partial to the Chomp Stompers—those cute shark slippers come cheaper at just 600 V-bucks.

Let’s talk about the price tag. In the realm of in-game purchases, Kicks can be on the steep side. Players can snag 1,000 V-bucks for $8.99, and there’s been some chatter about the cost being a bit too high. Not to mention, these Kicks are only compatible with select Fortnite characters. While you can upgrade the shoe game of folks like Satoru Gojo and John Wick, Avatar Aang is left out of the sneaker fun. Even with these limitations, there’s enough variety to create some amusing character-footwear combos that’ll keep things fresh.