Fortnite’s latest event is a collaboration between the game and TIME, creating an in-game tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
The Fortnite event is inspired by TIME’s immersive exhibit that launched in 2020 in Chicago and the King estate is, in fact, involved in the tribute. The “March Through Time” event takes players to a virtual recreation of Washington D.C. as they’ll visit prominent locations like the Lincoln Memorial and United States National Mall. Here’s the official description of the event,
“TIME Studios’ mission is to embrace innovative new formats to tell the world’s most impactful stories. We are thrilled to introduce our first-ever gaming experience and expand our groundbreaking The March project, which started as an immersive exhibit, into the global, educational event March Through Time in Fortnite Creative,” said president of TIME Studios Ian Orefice. “Epic Games and Fortnite’s community creators have been instrumental in bringing this powerful content to millions of players, and we are excited to enable the next generation to explore Dr. King’s historic impact in a new way.”
Eric D. Tidwell, Esq., the Managing Director & General Counsel of the King Estate, said in a statement,
“With the advent of emerging technology, we seek to use all resources available to continue to spread his wonderful legacy of hope, peace, love, and equality. Presenting his most famous speech in such an interactive format helps us achieve that goal.”
Even with the involvement of the King Estate, players aren’t exactly happy with the tribute event, as there have been mixed reactions across the board. Many players see the event as disrespectful to the memory of Martin Luther King Jr.
However, many people are urging players to wait and experience the event before passing judgment. Some are pointing out that this could be an effective way to educate youth on an important piece of history.
Digital events like this could certainly be an effective way to integrate history and learning into popular media, but it remains to be seen if the entire thing is done respectfully.
