Epic Games Announces Collaboration with TIME for 'March Through Time' Featuring MLK
By Jack O'Dwyer
TIME Studios has partnered with Epic Games to create an immersive Fortnite experience "to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."
The experience was inspired by TIME's previous virtual reality project, "The March," which brought Dr. King's monumental "I Have A Dream" speech to the digital space. This is the first time the project will be brought to the gaming medium. The goal is to "enable the next generation to explore Dr. King’s historic impact in a new way," according to Tomi Omololu-Lange and Matthew O’Rourke, two executive producers for TIME Studios.
"We are thrilled to introduce our first-ever gaming experience and expand our groundbreaking The March project, which started as an immersive exhibit, into the global, educational event March Through Time in Fortnite Creative," Ian Orefice, President of TIME Studios, said.
The full collaboration will last the whole year, according to the event's press release, kicking off on Thursday, Aug. 26. It takes place on a re-imagined Washington DC map in Fortnite Creative mode—an island titled "D.C. 63."
Players who visit the island will be transported to a living, breathing archive of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The map features a recreation of Washington, DC, featuring the Lincoln Memorial and United States National Mall—where Dr. King gave his iconic speech to near 250,000 people on Aug. 28, 1963. It includes an exhibit showcasing images from the original march and helping to contextualize his speech.
Additionally, Epic has implemented a series of collaborative challenges and mini-games in which players need to work together to complete them. This feature, TIME explains, is meant to reinforce one of the important themes in "I Have A Dream:" to move forward, we all must work together.
Eric D. Tidwell, Esq., the Managing Director and General Counsel for Dr. King's estate, said, "With the advent of emerging technology, we seek to use all resources available to continue to spread his wonderful legacy of hope, peace, love, and equality. Presenting his most famous speech in such an interactive format helps us achieve that goal."
Players who complete the challenges relating to the event will receive a free D.C. 63-themed spray.
D.C. 63 can be found under the Fortnite Creative mode tab using the code "3815-8892-143." It should also be discoverable through the "March Through Time" tile in the Discover Menu.
More information can be found on Epic's Fortnite news blog as well as through a press release issued by TIME.