Following its $1.1 million funding round last month, metaverse studio Karta has unveiled its entry into the world of Fortnite, partnering with IP owners from music, entertainment, and sports domains to create new takes on Fortnite maps and games.
Karta says this venture opens up new revenue streams for rightsholders.
The Fortnite studio will be led by gaming personality Leven2k, a Fortnite content creator, analyst and broadcaster. He is best known for his work as a commentator and analyst on the official Fortnite Champion Series broadcast.
He has also contributed to events such as the Olympic Esports Series and the Manchester United supporters channel, The United Stand.
At Karta’s Fortnite studio, Leven2k will lead its creative direction and marketing output to ensure its engagement with the platform’s user base.
To mark the Fortnite studio’s launch, Karta introduced a Fortnite map called “Pooh vs Death.” This concept pits two iconic characters, Winnie the Pooh and the Grim Reaper, against each other in a boss battle scenario. The project utilized the open accessibility of the Winnie the Pooh intellectual property, which became public last year.
Karta’s Fortnite studio launch follows the rollout of the ‘Unreal Editor for Fortnite’ by Fornite developer Epic Games, providing creators with enhanced resources to develop new in-game experiences.
Epic Games has committed to allocating 40% of revenue directly to creators, opening up new revenue sources for IP owners. A projected 40 creators are predicted to surpass the $1 million mark within the creator economy, according to Fortnite.
“With Leven’s knowledge of Fortnite culture and a team of great developers and game designers, combined with popular IP from the world of music, sports and entertainment, we are looking to bring something fresh and unique to the players but still feels very much native to them.”
Erik Londré, Karta
“We are extremely excited about Fortnite and our new studio. With Leven’s knowledge of Fortnite culture and a team of great developers and game designers, combined with popular IP from the world of music, sports and entertainment, we are looking to bring something fresh and unique to the players but still feels very much native to them,” Karta CEO Erik Londré said.
“With Pooh vs Death we wanted to show the world how we can combine current trends with creative use of IP. We look forward to creating new opportunities for IP owners and making millions of players have a lot of fun.”
Leven2k, Creative Lead for Karta’s Fortnite Studio, added: “It’s an honor to head up Karta’s new Fortnite studio and lead on developing exciting and fun new maps and games for the community. I truly believe that with our vision, our team and our IP partners we can create something very, very special on the platform.”
“I truly believe that with our vision, our team and our IP partners we can create something very, very special on the platform.”
Leven2k
Karta was launched in 2021 by ex-Head of Events at Fnatic, Erik Londré, and music business veteran Tony Barnes.
The startup says the launch of its Fortnite studio and the appointment of Leven2k will allow it to expand its operations on the popular metaverse platform and cater to the growing demand for creative experiences from IP holders.
Fortnite, known for its unique blend of battle royale gameplay and creative sandbox elements, has integrated music and various audio-visual experiences into the game environment. It has hosted numerous live in-game events featuring musicians and DJs, such as Marshmello, Travis Scott and Kaskade.
Meanwhile, Karta hinted at more upcoming brand partnerships and licenses in the pipeline, saying it is already planning its next map, “which is set to launch soon with a well-known name from the world of motorsports.”
Music Business Worldwide
