Epic Games has given its official approval for the creation of a virtual Holocaust Museum within the widely popular video game Fortnite. Indie game developer Luc Bernard, the mastermind behind the project, announced the news with great pride, stating that they will be the first to bring something of this nature to Fortnite’s massive player base of over 400 million individuals.
The virtual museum, aptly named The Voices of the Forgotten, aims to provide players with a comprehensive and immersive experience. It will showcase various exhibits, including photographs, texts, and personal accounts detailing the harsh living conditions endured by persecuted Jewish individuals during the Holocaust. Additionally, the museum will pay tribute to courageous heroes who resisted Hitler’s oppressive regime, such as French Resistance fighter Marianne Cohn and Iranian diplomat Abdol Hossein Sardari.
Bernard underscores the transformative potential of this virtual space by highlighting the fact that 80% of Americans have not visited a museum. He believes that the creation of The Voices of the Forgotten will be a game-changer in terms of Holocaust education, particularly for those who don’t have the opportunity to visit physical museums located in major cities. This virtual representation of history has the potential to revolutionize the way students learn about the Holocaust.
The Voices of the Forgotten is not the first educational project to utilize Fortnite as a platform. In 2021, Epic Games joined forces with the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center in Chicago, as well as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. estate, to develop a virtual civil rights museum called March Through Time. While the Martin Luther King Jr. exhibit was an official partnership, Voices of the Forgotten is an independent project that has received approval from Epic Games.
Luc Bernard’s innovative approach to incorporating education into gaming is not new territory for him. He previously released a narrative-focused game centered around the Holocaust titled The Light in the Darkness.
The development of The Voices of the Forgotten in Fortnite demonstrates the power of video games as educational tools. By enabling players to learn about significant historical events in an interactive and engaging manner, these projects have the potential to reach a broader audience and promote empathy and understanding.
In summary, Epic Games has sanctioned the creation of a virtual Holocaust Museum within Fortnite, allowing over 400 million players to access an immersive educational experience. Luc Bernard and his team are thrilled to pioneer this initiative, and they hope it will transform Holocaust education and make it more accessible to students worldwide. The virtual museum follows in the footsteps of other educational endeavors in Fortnite, showcasing the power of video games to facilitate learning and promote understanding of historical events.
