MLK in Fortnite Sparks Reactions From Players

Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister and activist who became the face and leader of the American Civil movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968, is now in Fortnite, but not as a playable character. Today, Epic Games announced an “interactive and educational experience to celebrate the life and work” of MLK. The experience, dubbed March Through Time, is presented by TIME Studios, via Fortnite Creative, and includes the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech and “the history behind this important moment in the ongoing struggle for Civil Rights.”

According to Epic Games, the experience — which was built not by Epic Games, but by community members — is set in 1963 in a reimagined Washington D.C. that players can freely explore. As for the experience itself, it includes museum-inspired points of interest and historical imagery that contextualize Dr. Martin Luther King’s aforementioned speech, collaborative quests where players have to work together to complete various mini-games, and pop-up galleries and educational resources.

As you would expect, not long after this, “MLK in Fortnite” began to trend on Twitter, spreading misinformation in the process. As noted above, MLK is not a skin in the game that players can buy or use. However, this misinformation has been making the rounds, contributing to the growth of the trend, which is brimming with takes that range from very confused to unhappy.