Ed Sheeran has revealed he declined a Fortnite collaboration, explaining he does not play the hit battle royale game and wanted any partnership to feel genuine.
Fortnite has previously hosted virtual events with Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Metallica, Daft Punk, Ariana Grande and Travis Scott, featuring custom skins, emotes and interactive performances. Despite the platform’s high-profile appeal, Sheeran felt it was not a natural fit.
“Whenever you see my face near any product, I want it to be something I actually do,” he said on the Warne’s Way podcast. “I don’t play Fortnite but I do play Pokémon, so we contacted The Pokémon Company.” Sheeran previously released ‘Celestial’ for the credits of ‘Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet’ in 2022.
Fans have praised Sheeran’s decision online for prioritising authenticity over promotion.
Sheeran’s comments follow a brief cameo in ‘Game of Thrones’ season seven, which received criticism for feeling out of place. The singer reflected on the experience, saying: “It happens quite a lot in my career: just get criticised for things. But I enjoyed doing it.”
