You Can Drive the Nissan Z Performance in Fortnite, and It's Not Cheap, but Why No Nismo?

The arrival of Rocket Racing in Fortnite on December 8, 2023, brought an entirely new way of approaching the game for millions of unsuspecting players. However, one of the most pivotal additions was the car menu from the item shop. That vehicular game design customization philosophy also bled into the main game, which couldn't make people any happier.

Aside from the regular fictional models designed by Epic Games, Fortnite also features cars from collaborations, like the recently introduced Nissan Z Performance. Other famous real-life appearances include the 755-hp McLaren 765LT with its 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, reaching 205 mph or 330 kph. The McLaren V8 engine sound from the game is 100% legit.
Let's not forget the 5.2-liter Lamborghini Huracan STO with its 649 horsepower and 417 lb-ft (565 Nm) of torque. This Italian bull can reach 193 mph or 310 kph and hit 62 mph or 100 kph from a standstill in three seconds flat.

While other rides remain proprietary to the game, they still borrow some visual elements from their real counterparts, like in Grand Theft Auto. For example, the "Werewolf," introduced on April 9, 2024, is obviously a play on the W Motors Lykan HyperSport, which has a 3.7-liter twin-turbo engine capable of outputting 740 hp and 708 lb-ft (960 Nm) of torque while reaching a top speed of 245 mph or 394 kilometers per hour.

Of course, these performances don't translate 1:1 in Fortnite like in The Crew Motorfest, Forza Horizon 5, Forza Motorsport, Gran Turismo 7, and other more realistic games. Still, maybe one day, Epic's title will have one of the best racing spinoffs ever made with realistic handling and physics.

Now, back to our Nissan. The Z Performance costs 2,800 V-Bucks, which isn't what anyone would call a "steal." The going rate for V-Bucks these days is $9 for 1,000, $23 for 2,800, $37 for 5,000, and 90 bucks for 13,500 V-Bucks. In other words, playing with an unrealistic Nissan Z Performance will cost each player precisely 23 US dollars.

That might be expensive, but other previously featured models from collaborations were even more costly. The Star Wars Beskar vehicle made after the Mandalorian's helmet was also 2,800 V-Bucks. The McLaren 765LT cost 2,800, but the Lambo was the most pretentious one of all, priced at 3,500 V-bucks. The problem with the Huracan STO is that you can't buy precisely that amount, but have to either go for the $37 5,000 bundle or get the 2,800 one and farm the remaining 700 in-game.

The 2024 Nissan Z Sport has a starting MSRP of $42,970 in the United States. It is equipped with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine capable of delivering 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft or 474 Nm of torque. That power gets sent to the rear wheels via its 6-speed manual transmission system.

Next, there are two Performance RWD trims. One comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox, while the other has a 9-speed automatic. Both retain the engine and power output while starting from $52,970, but unlike the Sport trim, they have a limited-slip differential. More differences between the trims become apparent in areas like the infotainment system, connectivity, and even some driver assistance features differ.

The belle of the ball is the $65,750 Nismo RWD, which received a bump in every department. Its NISMO-tuned 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 delivers 20 more ponies, adding up to 420 hp and 384 lb-ft or 521 Nm of twist. Now, because the latter is the obviously superior choice out of the Z lineup, it begs the question: why did the Z Performance make the cut, but not the NISMO?

In contrast, the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray "only" costs $5k more, with a starting MSRP of $70,000. The American purebred sports car has a gorgeous-sounding 6.2-liter V8 DI engine that produces 490 hp at 6,450 rpm and 465 lb-ft or 630 Nm of torque at 5,150 revolutions per minute.

The Corvette Stingray comes with an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission system as standard, deploying all that power to the rear wheels. Some might even say it looks miles better than the Nissan Z, but let's not forget that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

However, what we can't debate is that for the extra price, you get 70 more horsepower and 81 more lb-ft (110 Nm) of torque compared to the Nissan Z NISMO. This isn't the first time Nissan is present in an Epic Games title. Those who have unlocked the Nissan Fairlady Z in Rocket League can also drive it in Fortnite.

Fortnite is a rampaging behemoth that shows no signs of stopping. That's not only due to its "sugar, spice, and everything nice" formula, which perfectly blends a child-friendly art style with hardcore graphics and illumination, but also to the overall atmosphere, which conveys a simple, fun time, solo or with friends.

The battle-royale title is composed of many elements, and while anyone could write a 10,000-word essay about what makes it such a cultural phenomenon, it all boils down to the free-to-play pick-up-and-play experience that doesn't coerce anyone with a predatory pay-to-win game design. Mix that with always being part of the pop-cultural zeitgeist or meta, and you get an unbeatable, unrepeatable formula that keeps marching on and on, making billions upon billions of US dollars.