The Rift Tour, featuring Ariana Grande, is coming to Fortnite next weekend.
On Sunday (Aug. 1), it was announced that Grande will be the latest superstar to perform within the Fortnite realm, headlining an in-game event -- or a "musical journey into magical new realities" -- that's scheduled for Aug. 6-8.
"Ariana & the Rift Tour" will be available on the online game for five time slots over the weekend, accommodating fans around the world: Friday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. ET; Saturday, Aug. 7 at 2 p.m. ET; and Sunday, Aug. 8 at 12 a.m. ET, 10 a.m. ET., and 6 p.m. ET.
The Rift Tour will feature experiences that pair Grande's music with elements from Fortnite.
As an added bonus, players can find Grande outfit options -- from a "cosmic" look to her Piggy Smallz -- in the Fornite Item Shop beginning on Aug. 4.
"Working with Epic and the Fortnite team to bring my music to life inside the game has been so fun and such an honor," the singer said in a statement. "I can’t wait to join my fans and see all of your reactions to such an unforgettable, magical journey to new realities."
Check out the Rift Tour concert featuring Ariana Grande. We snowboard our way down a lush colorful hill, jump through a wonderful area, fight against a devious monster on an airplane, and enjoy an amazing concert from Ariana Grande through different locations and rifts.
Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:24 Event Start 01:11 Snowboarding Down Lush Hill 02:12 Jumping Around On Teddy's Back 03:24 On Airplane Fighting Monster 05:25 Ariana Grande Makes Her Entrance 06:35 Bubbles in the Sky 08:00 Riding Rainbow Llama through the clouds 09:08 Following Ariana Grande through a maze 10:30 Final Song
The first half of the Fortnite Ariana Grande Rift Tour concert doesn't include Ariana Grande's music.
The Rift Tour begins with you getting sucked into a massive rift and seeing what looks like the sleeping body of Grande. From there, you're transported into a series of minigames set to pop hits from other artists like Sia, Juice WRLD, and DJ Marshmello. What does any of this have to do with Ariana Grande, you ask? The answer is: nothing. While you eventually get to a production featuring Ms. Grande and six of her biggest hits, it's a bizarre journey getting there.
As an Arianator I expected the Ariana Grande Fortnite Rift Tour concert to be the pinnacle of in-game musical performances; a moment where a global superstar steps into a game world and takes it over entirely. And while Grande's personal touch is peppered throughout the Rift Tour - with a moment that speaks to global unity and a touching tribute to the late Mac Miller - I was still left wanting.
Perhaps my stan status skewed my experience, which is undoubtedly a spectacle combining the power of Epic Game's Unreal Engine, the legacy of Fortnite, and the star status of Ariana Grande. The Arianators who were hanging out during our livestream felt slighted: some though Grande would be singing live, others felt it was too short, while still others were confused by the Grande-less intro. But maybe Fortnite fans will leave the experience wanting more experiences like this, which Epic Games' head of brand Phil Rampulla promises me during a Zoom call is in Fortnite's future.
After several minutes of pop hits that aren't Ariana Grande's, the screen fades to black. Dozens, maybe hundreds of Fortnite players stand or kneel in this void - a random player (or NPC, it's unclear), helps my downed character up. I'm given a chance to help up the person next to me. After a few moments, stars burst forth from each of us and float up into the sky in a message of camaraderie and inclusivity - two things Grande frequently preaches from social media, the stage, and beyond. "That was a starting point for us," Rampulla tells me when I ask about the touching moment. "Especially in the past year, we know that we've provided so much time and you know, escapism or connection for people around the world...it was an homage to our fans and our communities."
After the moment of togetherness, Ariana's voice bursts forth in the opening notes of 'raindrops (an angel cried)', which fans will know is how she opened her 2019 Sweetener tour. The sound of dogs barking echoes for a moment - clearly a nod to her 10 rescue animals - before the avatar Ariana launches into '7 Rings'. Like Travis Scott's Astronomical performance, the Rift Tour simply plays the album versions of Grande's hits; there are no live vocals or new recordings. Despite that, these songs are all still bops, so I'm bouncing along to the music with reckless abandon.
Then suddenly, I'm in a bubble, floating alongside a winged Grande as 'be alright' (an uplifting song about overcoming challenges) plays. Prompts allow me to focus on Grande as she swoops through the pastel sky, but before long my bubble pops and I'm astride a sparking loot unicorn, trying to navigate my character through rainbow rings as one of Grande's newer love songs, 'R.E.M.' plays. A giantess Grande appears among the clouds, lazily swinging on a crystal swing like an ethereal Midsommmar queen.
All of this is quite relaxing, but it's the moment the notes of 'The Way' begin that I feel a lump in my throat. The song famously features the late Mac Miller, whom Grande used to date, and the inclusion of one of his songs seems very much a choice made specifically by her. As soon as Grande starts ascending up a giant Greek-inspired staircase, it's clear that this is meant to represent a stairway to heaven. Players can trail Ariana's ascent by climbing up staircases that flank her, with the occasional portal door spitting you out on an Escher-esque upside-down staircase. The beautiful moments during the Rift Tour are just like this - it feels as if Ariana is reaching out to you and letting you in for a little while.
By the time the last song begins (the eponymous hit from her latest album, Positions), it's clear that there are myriad attempts to combine Grande's pop star personality and more approachable personal moments with the power of Fortnite. But for some reason, it just doesn't click for me as an Ariana fan.
Fortnite Presents: Rift Tour Featuring Ariana Grande
Check out Ariana’s full performance in Fortnite Presents Rift Tour. Featuring the songs: raindrops, 7 Rings, Be Alright, R.E.M., The Way, and positions
This weekend Ariana Grande became the latest musician to hop into the digital world of Fortnite. Her big Rift Tour event is going on over the next few days and is less a virtual concert and more a trippy interactive adventure featuring odd visuals and mini-games.
Announced last weekend, after some leaks spoiled things, Ariana Grande is headlining what Epic is calling the “Fornite Rift Tour.” The pop star is virtually performing five in-game shows hosted across three days. The first event took place on August 6. A second repeat of the event wrapped up earlier today. Tomorrow, August 8, the whole thing wraps up with three more chances to catch the show. You can read more details about when it’s all going down here.
So what actually happens during her big in-game event? Surprisingly, quite a bit! You can watch the whole thing below courtesy of Gamespot.
During the Rift Tour event, players can’t hurt each other and instead take part in various segments that each have their own songs. At one point players are sliding around a long tube of colorful goo. Later, players are strapped into planes and given the chance to shoot at a large enemy and purple crystals. Other segments have players running around a strange maze of Escher-esque stairs and pillars or flying through the clouds on magic llamas that leave behind rainbow trails. As I said, a lot of stuff happens.