WORK

OVERVIEW
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.
Ed Sheeran
CHALLENGE
iHeart and State Farm wanted to engage the fanbase in a new and immersive way, tapping into Fortnite Creative we created a first of its kind music experience in UEFN. The goal was to create a virtual world as players listened to music from Ed Sheeran’s new album that told a story as they continued playing. Each area was thematic to the song experience.
SOLUTION
iHeartLand presents "A Special Ed Sheeran Immersive Experience" in Fortnite, featuring exclusive performances and explorable worlds inspired by his songs. This experience was the first third-party music event built using Epic Games' Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).
FROM THE PRESS
iHeart
iHeartLand Presents “A Special Ed Sheeran Immersive Experience” in State Farm Park in Fortnite
The Music Experience Will Feature Ed Sheeran Songs Performed Exclusively in iHeartLand’s State Farm Park, Debuting October 5 at 3p.m. ET A First-Ever Music Experience Built Using Epic’s Unreal Editor for Fortnite
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FROM THE PRESS
Oct 6, 2024
Ed Sheeran Takes Over iHeartLand In Fortnite During Immersive Experience
Ed Sheeran has been popping up everywhere lately, even in fans' homes, to celebrate his new album Autumn Variations, and the star singer/songwriter recently took over one more place: iHeartLand in Fortnite — and fans got to experience Ed like never before.
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iHeartLand Presents “A Special Ed Sheeran Immersive Experience” in State Farm Park in Fortnite. The Music Experience Will Feature Ed Sheeran Songs Performed Exclusively in iHeartLand’s State Farm Park, Debuting October 5 at 3p.m. ET

A First-Ever Music Experience Built Using Epic’s Unreal Editor for Fortnite

“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.

Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran

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.”

Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran

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.”