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Nearly 630,000 Fortnite players were reportedly “tricked” into making purchases through the game and will receive a refund. According to a press release, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reportedly accused Fortnite developer Epic Games of leading gamers to make “unwanted purchases” by carrying out tactics through its game button configuration. “For example, players could be charged while attempting to wake the game from sleep mode, while the game was in a loading screen, or by pressing an adjacent button while attempting simply to preview an item,” the press release from the FTC read. It had also been brought to light that Epic Games had allowed minors to accumulate charges without parental approval and blocked gamers who filed disputes of unauthorized charges, preventing them from obtaining items they had purchased. For these reasons, the company received an order from the FTC to refund players in December 2022 who had been subjected to these “unlawful billing practices.” The...
Victoria Monét is the latest star to bring her talents to the video game industry. The “Jaguar II” crooner took to X, formerly Twitter, to share the news that her dance moves have made it to “Fortnite.” The popular online video game and platform, developed by Epic Games, was first released in 2017. For one of its games, “Fortnite Battle Royale,” the main objective is to be the last one standing on Battle Royale Island. Playable characters can “loot, build, explore, and fight” against 99 other players in the match to be declared the winner. Now, Monét is bringing the moves and choreography for her hit single “On My Mama” to the video game. “Fornite said lemme show ya’ll why they’re called V bucks,” she said in a post shared via X. “The ‘Lookin Good’ emote inspired by ‘On My Mama’ by Victoria Monét is now available.” The “On My Mama” music video, which now has amassed 62 million views on YouTube, is directed by Los Angeles, CA-based Grammy-nominated creator, child, per BET. It was...
While developer Meka Knepley is married to Pete Knepley, Principal Programmer at Epic Games — one of the creators of Fortnite Battle Royale — she set out on her own, looking for a way to improve the world during the height of the pandemic. As the world witnessed massive shutdowns disproportionately impacting small businesses, Knepley conjured an idea to develop a frictionless shopping experience to connect consumers with businesses. ReUp is a byproduct of Knepley’s efforts and the platform welcomes brands and shoppers to join its growing community. “I was talking to my friends, like ‘How can I make the difference?’ Some of my friends were like, ‘I’m going to go on protest’… ‘I’m going to write a paper about it’…and with me, I was like ‘I need to help people.’ ‘How can I help the community?’ And then I felt like, you can’t get to Maslow’s Hierarchy if you’re still worried about your job. So, if we can get you to a higher platform where you have your own business and you’re...
In 2018, the “Black Panther” had the world in a chokehold. Particularly for Black children, this was one of the first times they were able to see themselves on the big screen as a leading superhero. From the coveted Wakanda signal to the merch and apparel, children (and childlike people) everywhere were enamored by the glory of representation. As the world slowly progresses forward, there are clear examples of representation becoming more of the norm — for instance, in television shows (“Black-ish” and “The Wonder Years”) and video games like Fortnite.
Naomi Osaka is known for keeping us on our toes with how she dominates the tennis court. Combine that with all of her exciting partnerships, and it’s safe to say it’s hard to keep up. For her latest endeavor, the young icon has joined Fortnite’s Icon Series, Hypebae reports. Osaka’s announcement makes her the first female athlete to be on the video game’s series. “The Icon Series is the ultimate celebration of the most dynamic figures in culture for Fortnite ’s audience of millions, and there’s no one more perfect than Naomi Osaka to join the Series as the first female athlete,” Nate Nanzer, Global VP of Partnerships at Epic Games, said in a statement. Not only is Osaka making history, but she now joins fellow star athlete LeBron James and artists Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. “I’ve been playing Fortnite for a long time — when I saw LeBron had joined the Icon Series, it made me want to join the Fortnite family too. It’s really amazing to be able to connect with so many people...
The online game phenomenon, Fortnite partnered with Time Studios to create a reimagined Martin Luther King, Jr. museum. Players were able to teleport to Washington D.C. in 1963 where they could migrate between Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall to experience Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. The event reportedly included museum-inspired points of interest and collaborative mini-game quests. “These activities progress players through the experience and bring to life important themes of Dr. King’s speech: we move forward when we work together,” Fortnite shared in a press statement. The “March Through Time” experience is reportedly Fortnite’s second attempt to provide an educational platform to its users. The online platform launched “We The People” in July due to the heightened tension stemming from George Floyd’s passing. The event led to inappropriate behaviors from players who took advantage of the built-in features provided by Fortnite. Epic’s CEO & Founder Tim...
A source may have just revealed that a Will Smith skin could be on its way to Fortnite. Developed by Epic Games, Fortnite is an online video game that was released in 2017 with three distinct game mode versions. It is a fast-paced action game of survival where players fight against one another in order to be the last one standing. Serving as a collaboration powerhouse, Fortnite’s battle royale may soon add character, Mike Lowrey, portrayed by renowned actor Will Smith from the iconic “Bad Boys” trilogy. Per Nintendo Life, the character will allegedly feature the “I Am Legend” actor. The Will Smith skin in question may be from the original 1995 “Bad Boys” film but is also said to come in other variants – not just his Mike Lowrey character. Fans allegedly may also see his Agent J variant from the hit film “Men In Black” as a skin on the gaming platform. “Because the Will Smith skin hasn’t been made official just yet, there’s no knowing when it will release,” said an official statement...
Jeff Obeng may have been born in the Bronx, but his passion has allowed him to touch folks all over the world! Known for his viral skits as “Mufasa,” Obeng brings positive energy to the digital world through his kick-ass dance moves — particularly his popular “Go Mufasa” dance move that was featured in Da Baby’s music video for Grammy-nominated “Bop.” Now, he’s dancing to new heights as one of the first social media influencers to land a “legit” deal with Fortnite, according to Blerd. Obeng sat down with AfroTech to define what being an influencer means for him, how he’s managed to create authentic, feel-good videos, landing a deal with Fortnite, and more. AfroTech: The term influencer doesn’t always have a good rep but you manage to carry it so well. If you had to define this in your own words, what would they be? Mufasa: When it first came to the term influencer at first I really did not like it, but influence is the keyword when it comes to being an influencer. You can influence...
Travis Scott straight-up turned tech up a notch on Thursday (April 23) when he performed “Astronomical,” a virtual concert on Fortnite. Over 12 million concurrent players joined the popular online video game to watch the “Astroworld” rapper give an otherworldly concert of hits, including “Sicko Mode.” Scott also debuted a new song, “The Scotts,” featuring his rap namesake, Kid Cudi. Over 12.3 million concurrent players participated live in Travis Scott's Astronomical, an all-time record! Catch an encore performance before the tour ends: https://t.co/D7cfd2Vxcc — Fortnite (@FortniteGame) April 24, 2020 The online show was outfitted in brilliant special effects and theatrics, much like a real-life Cactus Jack show. A behemoth-sized version of the Missouri City artist appeared at the center of Fortnite’s landscape, stepping over floating rollercoaster tracks, hurling lyrics while submerged underwater and glowing from an electrifying light show. It was more of a completely immersive...
Over the past few years, gaming companies and Black celebrities have engaged in an interesting battle. It all started when rappers BlocBoy JB and 2 Milly both sued Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, for allegedly stealing their dance moves to profit off of. Then, Alfonso Ribeiro also sued Epic Games for using his signature dance move, the Carlton. Although Ribeiro’s attempts to copyright the dance didn’t quite work out, the series of lawsuits still leaves a lot of lingering questions. People may have a hard time understanding why any celebrity would care if Fortnite or similar games used their dances. After all, why would anyone care? In a September 2018 tweet , BlocBoy JB summed up his frustrations: EveryTime Somebody Does My Dance Dey Give Credit To @FortniteGame But Dey Ain’t Create Nothing But Da Game So Basically Dey Takin Money And Credit For My Shit Dats Crazy — Biggest Crip (@BlocBoy_JB) September 10, 2018 2 Milly also voiced his frustrations: “I do take it as a Very big...
Fortnite is collaborating with artists and dancers after a list of lawsuits caused headaches for the company and the creators whose work they were accused of using without permission. Rappers BlocBoy JB and 2 Milly both sued Fortnite and its parent company, Epic Games, last year for allegedly stealing their dance moves and profiting off them. Other dancers like Russell Horning , the teen who made the ”floss” dance popular, and Alfonso Ribeiro , the actor who popularized the “Carlton,” also attempted to sue. Each of the lawsuits were dropped in March after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that registration through the Copyright Office must be completed before an individual can sue for copyright infringement. The rulings also forced people to revisit an ongoing debate over whether or not you can put a copyright on dance moves. Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, the lawsuits sparked a broader conversation on cultural appropriation as many Fortnite players cited the game as the...
Two former University of Maryland basketball players are suing Fortnite creator, Epic Games, over the use of the “Running Man” dance, The Verge reported . Last year, Epic added the “Running Man” emoji to Fortnite, so players can have their characters do the dance. Now, Jaylen Brantley and Jared Nickens have filed a federal lawsuit claiming Epic Games Inc. is using a dance they popularized online. Jaylen Brantley and Jared Nickens Back in 2016, the two helped make the “Running Man Challenge” go viral, as reported by Sports Illustrated . According to The Verge, Brantley and Nickens say they created the “distinctive and immediately recognizable dance” and it’s “synonymous” with them. Brantley and Nickens accused Epic of copyright infringement and say the publisher “has consistently sought to exploit African-American talent, in particular in Fortnite , by copying their dances and movement.” This isn’t the first time Epic has been targeted by lawsuits over Fortnite dances. R apper...
Alfonso Ribeiro, famous for starring as Carlton Banks on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, is the latest celebrity to sue the creators of Fortnite for stealing a signature dance move. According to TMZ , the actor says Epic Games—the maker of Fortnite—released a dance on the platform called the “Fresh emote” in January 2018 that copies the dance he created and popularized while starring in the 90s sitcom. “It is widely recognized that Mr. Ribeiro’s likeness and intellectual property have been misappropriated by Epic Games in the most popular video game currently in the world, Fortnite,” Ribeiro’s attorney, David Hecht of Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP told TMZ. “Epic has earned record profits off of downloadable content in the game, including emotes like “Fresh.” Yet Epic has failed to compensate or even ask permission from Mr. Ribeiro for the use of his likeness and iconic intellectual property.” TMZ reports that Ribeiro also filed an identical lawsuit against the creators of...