This might be one of the weirder but more important online gaming promotions we’ve seen all year: Fortnite is collaborating with TIME Studios for an “interactive experience” in the game that focuses on civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his life’s work.
“Celebrate the life and work of Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in a new interactive experience presented by TIME Studios. Developed by members of the community in Fortnite Creative, March Through Time immerses players in the entirety of Dr. King’s monumental ‘I Have A Dream’ speech and the history surrounding it. March Through Time teleports players to D.C. 63, a reimagined Washington, DC. Built by ChaseJackman, GQuanoe, XWDFr, and YU7A, travel to the Lincoln Memorial and United States National Mall, where Dr. King gave his iconic 17-minute speech for Civil Rights. The experience extends with museum-inspired points of interest, and collaborative mini-game quests you complete with others. These activities progress players through the experience and bring to life important themes of Dr. King’s speech: we move forward when we work together. Completing the challenges related to Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement will unlock a D.C. 63 spray for your Locker.”
“Completing the challenges related to Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement will unlock a D.C. 63 spray for your Locker.” Yes. OK. Wholesome edutainment, if baffling.
(Jason Winter reminds us that Tim Sweeney infamously compared Epic’s refusal to cooperate with what it considered unjust Apple terms to disobeying unjust laws during the civil rights movement.)
As for the current mode… just about everyone knows that Fortnite blatantly ripped off Among Us for its new Impostors game mode, but then again, it’s not like Fortnite came up with the battle royale concept in the first place. The games industry is rife with shameless copycatting of successful concepts. And to help promote this new game mode and further get under the skin of Among Us fans, Epic has launched an Impostors Trials reward track to encourage everyone to get playing and paranoid. By participating in this mode, players can earn extra Fortnite badges, a Hot Headed spray, a Just Between Us emoticon, and a Spectral Flex wrap.
You win some, you lose some.
