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.”
Videos by ComicBook.com
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.
2021 Bingo Surprises Again
I did not have “MLK in Fortnite” on my 2021 Bingo card. https://t.co/p1zeqAT0fx
โ NUFF (@nuffsaidny) August 26, 2021
Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?
PlayStation: โPutting MLK in Fortnite is a good idea!โ
โ Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) August 26, 2021
MLK: pic.twitter.com/SJonJiODK9
Is This Real?
it’s 2005. you’re asleep at your desk in history class. you jolt awake shouting “MLK IN FORTNITE!” You look around and everyone is staring at you. you’re embarrassed, and you don’t know what it means…but it felt so real. it is real. pic.twitter.com/12okpTSOcx
โ em (@embeeonhere) August 26, 2021
Alternate Timeline Confirmed
MLK in Fortnite just continues to prove that weโre stuck in an alternate timeline
โ hailey (@Hailey_Emeline) August 26, 2021
seriously what in the world pic.twitter.com/WNj51jx2cE
This Will Lead to Bad Things
I understand the message and the reasoning behind MLK in Fortnite but its going to cause people to be acting real weird in game pic.twitter.com/3LSct1kVNI
โ jeo (@315Jeo) August 26, 2021
This Isn’t Good
Is MLK in Fortnite worse than FSU putting a Nike vapor glove on MLK pic.twitter.com/QFt2YLuvx7
โ Vince LaSalle (@JayUnFazed) August 26, 2021
Nor Right
PlayStation just put MLK in Fortnite knowing he was assassinated that ainโt right America pic.twitter.com/6Y5SHwRNRv
โ A Real $moove Production (@Jayl0n1k) August 26, 2021
Time to Log Off
They put MLK…..in fortnite……imma log off for today pic.twitter.com/bONHsAsfKm
โ ๐ (@DessieWessiee) August 26, 2021
Is Fortnite Running Out of Ideas?
This game is running out of ideas now we have MLK in fortnite https://t.co/KsSljDoTNG
โ wappy ๏พ๐ถ playing half life 1 ๐ค (@corsolumb) August 26, 2021