As the sneaker boom recedes, brands like Nike and Adidas are targeting younger audiences by meeting them where they are — in the virtual world of ‘Fortnite.’

In March, when Jordan Brand released the Air Jordan 4 “Brick by Brick,” a collaboration with the BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester, they sold out almost instantly, quickly doubled in value on the resale market and were championed by collectors as an early contender for sneaker of the year.

But for some sneaker fans, the real fun began two months later, when the “Brick by Brick” became available in Fortnite — as a fully digital replica that could be purchased for 1,000 “V-Bucks,” the game’s virtual currency, or about $8.99.

Fortnite, the online multiplayer shooter by Epic Games, introduced Kicks, a vertical within its popular in-game marketplace dedicated to footwear, in November. Alongside a handful of quirky proprietary designs, the virtual shop sells shoes by Nike, Jordan