When Shaq heard that online streamer xQc’s contract was worth more than LeBron’s, he had to get into the video game business. Now we have Shaquille O’Neal on Fortnite, because why not? Of course, LeBron James did it first. And when it comes to buying cars or divesting in new businesses, Shaq tends to follow his old teammate’s cue. But he’s also competitive. So Shaq’s bundle is as larger-than-life as he is, with more to offer than Bron’s did. But is it better?

James’ Fortnite skins are no longer available. So this is a qualitative comparison between real-time madness with nostalgic (although it’s only three years old) vibes.

Fortnite Shaq is true to IRL

It’s a different Fortnite since 2021 when LeBron James dove into Fortnite alongside Travis Scott and Ariana Grande. 2024 saw the arrival of the Shaq Fortnite Bundle. With his kids obsessed with the universe, he knew what to provide. Hence the bundle is packed with two Shaq Fortnite Outfits – the Shaq DJ Diesel and Super Shaq for 1,500 V-Bucks and 2,000 V-Bucks, respectively.

He gets armed with two pickaxes – the Shaq Attackers, which will be part of the Super Shaq skin, and the ‘Axe-lifier’ which will be available for 800 V-Bucks. There even will be two emotes, including the iconic, the legendary, the timeless Shaq Shimmy.

If memory serves and a quick trip into old reviews confirmed, the LeBron James Bundle had one pickaxe and one emote.

‘Ones n Twos’ emote is worth 300 V-Bucks and ‘Shaq Shimmy’ costs a cool 500 V-Bucks. To sweeten the deal, there are three more items: the ‘Shaq’s DJ Decks’ part of Shaq skin and the ‘Super Shaq Shield’ part of Super Shaq skin. An additional 500 V-Bucks will get you the Shaqsleeves Wrap. The King James Bundle was 2,500 V-Bucks and ‘The King James Gear Bundle would set you back 1,800 V-Bucks.

Like the IRL guy who wants to make entertainment affordable, Shaq’s bundle has more features for less. That already appeals to our frugal sides. But price aside, what about the entertainment?

Shaquille O’Neal keeps up with trends

Big Diesel gets big brownie points for the shimmy alone. If anyone knows to cash in on a trend, it’s Shaquille O’Neal. Apart from giving an early glimpse into the collab at his Toronto show, the DJ Diesel avatar is on theme. The customizations stick to O’Neal’s usual tank top and headwear style with noticeable bling. But there’s also ‘SHAQ’ in Superman logo fashion on his front.

Shaq and his son Myles are both bonafide Fortnite DJs now. Only right they throw in some original music in there to go with the DJ Diesel console.

Super Shaq also gives out the Man of Steel vibes with a dash of Black Adam. It has the same vibes as LeBron James ‘LeBron James’ skin. Bonus points for the Nike shoes but the Space Jam version in the Tune Squad jersey fell a little flat in comparison to DJ Diesel. It was polarizing but the closest a Bugs Bunny maniac can get to it in Fortnite.

A lot has been said about their back bling. He took up his old #6, understandably, but the Tune Squad-esque colors was seemingly a put-off. For James, there was a general consensus that it was harsh to demand a completed quest in order to unlock the cool black and gold. Even now, Shaq’s back-bling is being called “unnecessary,” “weird,” and “doesn’t make sense” online. Personally, both were cool (a less-than casual gamer’s opinion).

It is comparing 2021 apples to 2024 oranges. There’s way too many nuances, especially when the Icon Series including Bron arrived when video games were an escape from a global crisis and sports events were limited. But if we’re twisting arms here, Shaq wins for the simple reason – at least his bundle is available.