Fair or Foul?

[Race Jones]

Epic Games announced that they worked together with TIME Studios to bring us a new interactive experience called March Through Time. The event is supposed to pay homage to the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, explaining the iconic “I have a dream” speech and diving deeper on the historical context.

CELEBRATE THE WORK OF DR. KING IN MARCH THROUGH TIME PRESENTED BY @TIME, AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE BY @CHASEJACKMAN1, @GQUANOE, @XWDFR, AND @YU7A_16 IN @FNCREATE

EXPLORE A REIMAGINED DC, LISTEN TO DR. KING’S HISTORIC SPEECH AND MORE.HTTPS://T.CO/FWS9BPWK31PIC.TWITTER.COM/TMPHFNP6WL

— FORTNITE (@FORTNITEGAME) AUGUST 26, 2021

Epic Games went on to explain what exactly you can expect in March Through Time. “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.



The launch is being met with mixed reviews

 

[Sony Montana]

I think it’s cool

they had concerts and other events and if you can walk through history while on Fortnite to have the kids be aware I don’t have a problem with it

 

[VIBE]

Fortnite has worked with so many companies and people. I think this is cool. Especially bc the gmaing community is one of the most racist and toxic places… so something like this is good for the kids to see. Especially since they’re not teaching this in Texas, or whatever other state. Why not? Doesn’t look like they’re attempting to make anything into an item shop

 

[Dwayne]

The way these young people dont know who MLK is these days.

 

[Race Jones]

 

[Old Man Cain]

The way they're taking CRT out of schools this seems like a good way to get the the knowledge into the younger generation. In 50yrs or so these kids want know slavery and Jim Crow was a thing and that America is/was a racist country

 

[Disanthrope]

Where do the profits go?

 

[Race Jones]

Where do the profits go?

 

[Race Jones]

The way they're taking CRT out of schools this seems like a good way to get the the knowledge into the younger generation. In 50yrs or so these kids want know slavery and Jim Crow was a thing and that America is/was a racist country

I get it but I doubt it gives an accurate and full depiction of MLK

which kinda bothers me.

 

[Elzo69Renaissance]

Where do the profits go?

His estate.... if I remember correctly his children have to license out his speeches

 

[The Lonious Monk]

Considering, TX already set the precedent for MLK and the Civil Rights Movement being taken away as required learning in school, shit like this might unfortunately be necessary to expose some people to MLK.

I just wish people understood MLK's whole message. He wasn't just on some "we want to live in peace with the whiteys" type shit. He basically believed that America was fucked up in a lot of different ways and needed to be fixed. He was basically saying the same shit Bernie was campaigning on like 60 years ago.

 

[aka_og]

what they need to do is highlight the speeches describing the systematic injustices - not the radio version 'i have a dream' speech

 

[mryounggun]

His estate.... if I remember correctly his children have to license out his speeches

And they are REALLY stingy about the shit too. Like...ridiculously so. Which makes me have all sorts of other questions about this shit.

But...it is what it is.

This shit seems tacky as fuck to me. But I'm also all about meeting people where they are, children included. And millions of kids pay attention to ANYTHING in Fortnite. But then it makes me ask what is the motivation for the game company to do this. Because it certainly isn't t further the legacy of Dr. King. And it certainly isn't to attract more kids to the game or an attempt to keep kids interested in the game.

So I dunno. This whole thing feels gross. But it's the kind of gross where I'm just gonna just try to put it out of my mind and pretend I never saw it, because it opens up too big of a can of worms.

 

[ImaInfluenza]

Where do the profits go?

Into the hearts in mind of a generation that didn’t know about what they learning, and creating the substantive belief in the power and righteousness of a man like MLK.

Oh shit..u mean the money?

Fortnite is free

 

[mike030270]

Don't know anything about the game but it's a good strategy to get to kids

"Completing the Dr. King and Civil Rights movement challenges will unlock a D.C. 63 spray for your locker."

This is good incentive for the kids that like to do all the stuff in games

 

[The Lonious Monk]

Yeah, but people will still miss out on the central theme of MLK's life.

He's praised and venerated now, and it's universally acknowledged that he spent his whole life fighting for peace, justice, and equality and...they killed him for it. He was literally killed for everything that this country pretends to celebrate him for now. It's disgusting.

 

[Race Jones]

any white historical figures commemorated in this way?

 

[Dwayne]

any white historical figures commemorated in this way?

Fuck'em

 

[Race Jones]

Fuck'em

that wasnt an answer ....

 

[Dwayne]

that wasnt an answer ....

True, but I felt it was appropriate lol