Epic Games has confirmed that anyone who purchased D4vd Fortnite cosmetics will be entitled to a refund, following the singer's charge with the murder of a 14-year-old girl. The collaboration, which seemed promising at first, has taken a dark turn.
Background of the Collaboration
In September last year, Fortnite released its first official anthem, Locked And Loaded, in collaboration with David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd. The singer began his career by uploading Fortnite gaming montages with his own original music to avoid copyright strikes. D4vd had several items in the game, including two music tracks in Fortnite Festival and emotes sold as part of the D4vd Locker Bundle.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
Earlier this month, the 21-year-old was charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The charges include multiple sexual acts with a minor and mutilation of a body. Last week, D4vd pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Epic Games' Response
In a post on X, the official Fortnite Status account addressed the concerns: "We hear the concerns. We have a bunch of changes we’re rolling out over time. The first one will be available on Tuesday April 28, when anyone who purchased one of these items will be able to get an immediate self-service refund. And, right now, players who request refunds for D4vd cosmetics via player support can be refunded."
This means Epic is not outright removing the music tracks or cosmetics from the game; players who have already purchased them will still have access. However, it remains unclear if these items could be removed in the future as part of the ongoing changes.
Challenges with the Locker Bundle
Removing items from the D4vd Locker Bundle may prove difficult, as it primarily consisted of premium items already available in the game. These items were simply selected by D4vd to be discounted for a limited time.
Previous Cases of Item Removal
There have been previous instances where Epic removed Fortnite emotes. In September last year, the Peacemaker 'Peaceful Hips' emote was pulled due to a plot twist in the TV show involving Nazis. In comparison, Epic's response to the D4vd situation seems somewhat delayed, as the singer had been under police investigation since September.
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