Debating baseball is almost as much fun as playing baseball, but there's one point that's beyond all discussion: Shohei Otani is the best player in the world right now, and it's not even close. Which makes it appropriate that Otani will become the first Major League Baseball player to be added to Fortnite's Icon Series.
The Icon Series is a collection of Fortnite skins and cosmetics largely inspired by real-world stars. It began with Ninja in 2020 and has expanded over the years to include names like Travis Scott, Lewis Hamilton, Bugha, Mr Beast, Lebron James, Patrick Mahomes, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and all sorts of others. But no baseball players, which is kind of weird given the number of other pro athletes represented in the collection. Maybe baseball isn't hip with the kids like Formula 1?
Anyway, Otani is here to right that wrong. Beginning March 17, Fortnite players will be able to add Otani's LA Dodgers uniform—in three styles: White for home, grey for away, and Lego for Lego Fortnite—to their wardrobe, as well as the "Trusty Two-Way Pickaxe," basically a baseball bat with pitching machine heads attached to it.
(Inside Baseball moment: The "Trusty Two-Way," in name and design, is a nod to Otani's status as an elite two-way player: In baseball, one who can effectively pitch and hit. It's a rarity because pitchers, due largely to the high and very specific demands of their role, are typically poor hitters, and the designated hitter rule means most of them don't get the opportunity anyway. Ohtani, meanwhile, in 2022 became the first player in the modern era to rank among the league leaders in both pitching and hitting.)
And yes, there will also be back bling, in the form of a bobblehead based on Decoy, Ohtani's dog. The man loves his dog.
For the non-baseball traditionalists out there, there will also be a Samurai Shohei Outfit with a pitching arm that catches on fire after you eliminate another player, along with a "Baseball Batana" pickaxe and "Samurai Screamer" back bling. A pair of emotes, Doggy Dingers and Hey Batter Batter, will also be up for grabs.
The Samurai Shohei outfit can also be unlocked early: All you have to do is be among the top scorers in the Shohei Ohtani Cup in-game event, which begins on March 15.
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