At E3 2018, Epic Games will be hosting a Fortnite celebrity tournament called the Celebrity Pro-Am that will feature several major famous faces as well as some of the very best players in the Fortnite community. Fortnite fans have been excited about the event and have been speculating on who will take part and today, Epic Games has revealed some of the people who will be participating.

In a post on the game's official website, Epic Games explains that 50 Fortnite pros and 50 celebrities will be teaming up to form duos in order to earn $3 million in charity prize money. It's unclear which charity this money will go towards, whether it will be split up among several charities, and if the winning duo will be able to choose which charity (or charities) receive the money.

However, Epic does say that the figure doesn't count towards the $100 million Fortnite eSports prize fund set aside for the game's first year of competitive play. Fans who tune into the livestream will also be able to win prizes, but it's unclear what these will be.

Fortnite tournament Ninja Marshmello

Five pairings (10 players) have been confirmed for the Fortnite tournament so far. Music producer Marshmello will be teaming up with Ninja, the record-breaking streamer, Team SoloMid player Myth will team up with NBA star Paul George, streamer Pokimane will duo with rapper Desiigner, YouTuber Markiplier will partner with TV host and actor Joel McHale, and Team Vitality pro Gotaga will team up with UFC fighter Demetrious Johnson. Tickets to the event will also be available to purchase for $10 and can be purchased via an email link sent to players in the Los Angeles area.

The Fortnite Celebrity Pro-Am tournament is just one part of Epic Games' larger, eSports strategy. In addition to that $100 million prize fund pledge, the developer has also added modes such as the Solo Showdown limited time mode to the game in an effort to get players to get in on the top-level competitive fun. It is also planning something major for the first year of Fortnite competitive play, though full details have yet to be revealed.

Fortnite is already a major success but fostering the game's eSports scene could help it grow even more. Players may play more in order to perform plays they've seen the pros do or to prove themselves as the best and they may spend more money on the game based on skins they've seen the pros equip. As such, expect Epic to put a lot of effort into making the game's competitive scene work.

Fortnite is available now in early access for iOS, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: Epic Games