# Festive Metaverse Shops Fortnite is Hosting a Virtual John Lewis Store Within Its Game By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2021-11-25 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-john-lewis References: [fashionunited.uk](https://fashionunited.uk/news/culture/john-lewis-takes-on-metaverse-with-in-game-fortnite-partnership/2021112559614)  Through [Fortnite's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/disneyland-game-rush) Creative platform and a special code in the Discover tab, players can visit a virtual [John Lewis](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/west-ham-united-and-john-lewis) shop. John Lewis collaborated with British broadcaster ITV on an I’m a Celebrity experience with themed challenges and festive games that align with the retailer's Christmas campaign. Through the [virtual store](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/holiday-shop), players can purchase supplies and even decorate their personal camps. The 2021 John Lewis Christmas advert, Unexpected Guest, tells the story of a young boy named Nathan who befriends an alien space traveler. Through this collaboration with Fortnite, the retailer is venturing into the metaverse and reaching customers in a new format that feels fresh and relevant. Thanks to this partnership, John Lewis joins the ranks of brands that are using the gaming world to engage players in unexpected ways. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.2/10 - Popularity: 88% | Activity: 86% | Freshness: 11% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [Retail](https://www.trendhunter.com/retail) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Virtual Retail Stores:** The virtual John Lewis store on Fortnite is an example of how retailers are venturing into the metaverse to reach customers in new and immersive ways. - **Brand Partnerships:** The collaboration between John Lewis and Fortnite demonstrates the potential for brands to team up with popular gaming platforms to create unique and engaging experiences for customers. - **In-game Purchases:** The ability to purchase supplies and decorate personal camps through the virtual John Lewis store highlights the growing trend of in-game purchases and microtransactions in the gaming industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **Retail:** The virtual John Lewis store on Fortnite is an opportunity for retailers to expand their customer reach by creating immersive and interactive shopping experiences in the metaverse. - **Gaming:** The John Lewis-Fortnite collaboration highlights the potential for gaming platforms to become powerful marketing channels and revenue streams for brands. - **Advertising:** The unexpected collaboration between John Lewis and Fortnite offers advertising professionals a glimpse of how brands can engage with their audiences in new and inventive ways through emerging technologies like the metaverse. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Co-Branded Metaverse Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/disneyland-game-rush.md) - [Survival Crafting Metaverses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lego-fortnite.md) - [Space-Centric Metaverse Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lunar-horizons.md) - [Luxury Video Game Collaborations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/epic-games.md) - [Festive Football Pop-Up Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/west-ham-united-and-john-lewis.md) - [Gamified Metaverse Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/metaverse-stores.md) - [Gamified Virtual Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/forever-21-shop-city.md) - [Metaverse Beauty Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-holiday-store.md) - [Gamified Metaverse Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/metaverse-store.md)