Fortnite users have long had concerts to attend and movies to watch as they wander around the video game through their virtual avatars. Now, they have yet another option: reliving Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.
via: Revolt
The exhibit offers an “immersive journey” through an area called “D.C. 63,” which is “a reimagined DC” set back in the 60s during the Civil Rights movement. Players will have the opportunity to travel to various tourist sites, including the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall, where they will be able to hear MLK’s 17-minute “I Have a Dream” speech.
“The experience extends with museum-inspired points of interest, and collaborative mini-game quests you complete with others,” said Epic Games, the developers of Fortnite. “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.” The goal is ultimately to teach gamers about MLK and the history of the Civil Rights movement.
“Civil Rights is a struggle we still fight for to this day, and it has benefited from the collective efforts of millions of people around the world,” Ryan Broseker, community manager at Epic Games,” said in a statement on Thursday (Aug. 26). “We hope the March Through Time experience inspires the community to promote mutual respect and empathy towards all people no matter their race, religion or orientation.”
While the new MLK-inspired in-game exhibit honors the late activist, the Coretta Scott King-founded Martin Luther King Jr. Center made it a point to clarify that they were “not involved” in Epic’s decisions.
“The King Center does not license Dr. King’s intellectual property, and, therefore, was not involved in any decisions concerning the endeavor with TIME Inc and PlayStation/Fortnite,” the center tweeted following the news. “These licensing decisions are made by Intellectual Properties Management (IPM).”
See a glimpse of the March Through Time experience below. The statement from The Martin Luther King Jr. Center can also be found below.
The King Center does not license Dr. King’s intellectual property, and, therefore, was not involved in any decisions concerning the endeavor with TIME Inc and PlayStation/Fortnite. These licensing decisions are made by Intellectual Properties Management (IPM). #MLK
— The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (@TheKingCenter) August 26, 2021
For all the hours kids spend playing Fortnite, they might as well be learning something.
