Yesterday I Watched Drake Play ‘Fortnite’?
Last night was a night I don’t think I’ll ever forget. If I forgot it, the second my memories of that fateful night flowed back into my cranium I would probably die instantly out of sheer confusion and denial.
Drake played the trendy battle royale shooter Fortnite last night at 2 am.
Being a Toronto citizen, one of my duties is to read every single tweet that the 6ix God himself puts out. It’s a taxing duty but I respect my city and our eternal leader, so I do it. My jaw dropped when I saw Drake tweet out “playing fort nite.” A single tear strolled down my face because that was the only time my inverted sleep schedule has paid off.
I know it was definitely just a promotional event, but man, was it a feat to watch. The rap icon was playing with Ninja, a streamer who is dastardly crisp at Fortnite. There were also a few guest appearances from other weird celebrities, but the dream team was a loving bond between Drake and Ninja.
They played like Batman and Robin, like Cosmo and Wanda, like two twins trained in the art of third person shooter since the age of two. It was mesmerizing to hear Drake sprinkle some Toronto slang onto some high-level Fortnite gameplay. There was one specific moment that’s glued to my memory: Drake got shot from behind and dropped to the ground, and Ninja is in straight shambles after the news. The purple smog cloud is closing in quickly on the two of them, Ninja doesn’t have that much time for a decision. Does he go on without his best friend, Drake, and try to cop that win? Or does he go back to help a man in need. While Ninja is jumping around the screen, Drake makes the executive decision and orders Ninja to leave him in the dust, and bust a cap in the rest of those players. That’s the moment that hit me. One for the history books folks, a true dynamic duo.
The whole reason I’m writing an article about this is because that intense relationship between a revered rapper and top Twitch streamer got me thinking about the game’s massive impact on the general public. I know so many people on the Fortnite wave that haven’t touched video games since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. And they keep talking about how this game brings out a sentimental sense of camaraderie that they haven’t felt for years. It’s cheesy as hell but I do see what they’re saying.
That’s a feeling that I left in the good ol’ days of Halo: 3. I used to play the last level on Legendary difficulty every day after school with my friends. I know that level more than I know my father’s own face. With co-op phasing out it’s important to keep those memories alive, those are some of the most real memories video games can provide. So I’m curious:
What are some of your favourite gaming moments with pals?
Let me know about that time your homie accidentally shot you in the back in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, or that time you and your crew pulled through against all odds in a match of Left4Dead!
You can tweet at our official account, respond in the comments, or hit me up on Twitter. Later gamers!
