What Does Epic Games Owe the Artists Who Inspire Fortnite Emotes?

Epic Games' Fortnite is one of the most popular video games in the world, and a big part of that popularity comes from their emotes -- dances and other gestures which are used in the game as taunts or celebratory moves. However, many have called out Epic Games for these emotes, claiming that they have been stolen and renamed in Fortnite without permission or citation from their creators or sources.

On this week's episode of Function, we explore the concept of commodifying culture through video games. We talk with Ty Robinson, a former game animator for Konami's Dance Dance Revolution, about the technology behind putting dance moves into video games. And we also speak with Brooklyn rapper 2 Milly, an artist at the center of the controversy surrounding Epic Games' and their use of his dance, the Milly Rock.

Guests

Ty Robinson

2 Milly

Other Links

BlocBoy JB's Shoot dance

The Backpack Kid's Floss dance

2 Milly's tattoo of himself Milly Rocking

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