After the video game announced that it would release a new game experience featuring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Twitter users reacted to the new Fortnite collaboration on Thursday.
Members of the Fortnite creative community have developed a new immersive journey called Travel through time, So that players can watch King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in full. The new feature is designed to help players explore key moments in the civil rights movement.
In the game, players will be teleported back to the reimagined Washington DC nearly 60 years ago, where they can witness speeches at the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall.
According to a press release, tasks will also be completed with other players, which “should bring an important reminder related to Dr. King’s speech: when we work together, we will move forward.”
But the tribute to King in the game makes users confused and uneasy. Some people think this is not the way Nobel Peace Prize winners want to be remembered.
One user wrote on Twitter: “Imagine fighting for equality, being assassinated, and now your legacy will be that a group of children call you the man of Fortnite. If you ask me, it’s disrespectful.”
“[F]Ortnite now has more material about MLK Jr. than most southern state textbooks,” another user wrote.
Others called for Fortnite to cooperate in a project involving King’s image, believing that he should not be portrayed in a violence-themed game.
“Brother, what!? Tell me who thinks it is a good idea to commemorate MLK in a shooter game?” Twitter The user said.
Michael Oaks Archives/Stringer
Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, stated that they hope the new experience will encourage users to “conduct meaningful discussions not only in the classroom but also in their personal lives.”
The company said in a press release: “Civil rights is the struggle we are still fighting for today. It benefits from the collective efforts of millions of people around the world.” The mutual respect and compassion of all people, regardless of their race, religious beliefs or orientation.”
Some users support the project, saying that any effort to share the King course will help educate children about the civil rights movement, but warn that hate groups may harm the goal of the experience.
One user said on Twitter: “I am cautiously optimistic that this will be handled with care and done in a respectful manner, but I am also very worried that hate groups and resenters will undermine this effort.” “We need more. The black history education of China, if used properly, games can become a tool to achieve this goal.”
The one-year gaming experience was created in collaboration with TIME Studios, which inspired a new version of its project The March, which brought King’s speech into virtual reality for the first time this year.
King’s Estate, DuSable Museum of African American History and American Home Insurance also contributed.
Weekly newspaper Contacted Epic Gamers for comments, but did not receive a response before publishing.
