Remembrance Day and Veterans Day will soon be upon us, and for the first time players will get some education in one of their favorite games, Fortnite. Here in Canada, our Royal Canadian Legion actually teamed up with Epic Games to create a Remembrance Island download, intended to educate younger players about the importance of this day.
This custom Fortnite island was designed by the Legion and features a whole slew of things including WW1 trenches, D-Day beaches, and even the Vimy Rich cenotaph. The key thing about this island is that there is no violence. Players may be wondering what exactly is involved then if they can’t play the game normally, but a lot of thought went into creating this experience.
Experiencing Remembrance Day through Remembrance Island
When you first head out to Remembrance Island you start on the beaches of Normandy. The poppy, which is an iconic symbol of Remembrance Day, leads players through various replicas of conflicts Canadians fought in during the war. Trail markers along the poppy trail include detailed information about each different environment. It also features 30 different little pieces of information. The path will eventually lead to the Vimy Ridge Memorial, and they are asking players to share a moment of silence on Nov. 11 at 11:00 p.m. The idea is for all players to come together to get educated and share the moment. They created it so that it’s enough to be educational without being too long or boring.
It was made for free by a Canadian agency
Wunderman Thompson Canada is actually the agency that created this island pro bono. They first approached the Legion about creating Remembrance Island only six weeks ago, and the Legion was enthusiastic about the project.
Ari Elkouby, executive creative director at Wunderman Thompson Canada, said about this project, “It’s an opportunity to meet younger Canadians on their own turf and educate them about the contributions of Canadians who have served our country.”
Royal Canadian Legion senior program officer Freeman D. Chute likewise stated that this is a great way to further engage younger generations: “As time goes on, we have to find new ways to reach young people and tell the story of Canadian veterans. This is a fantastic example of how to do just that.”
Hopefully many will engage and pay a visit to this special Fortnite island to remember and reflect on the many who sacrificed for us.
