Epic has pulled a Peacemaker dance emote from battle royale Fortnite, after the latest episode of the TV show proves just how controversial that dance is.
Spoiler warning for Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 6
The Peaceful Hips emote was added to Fortnite earlier this month, which features John Cena’s character hip-thrusting and holding his arms in rigid 90 degree angles.
Now, though, it’s been removed, with refunds likely to be issued in the next few days. “We’re disabling the Peaceful Hips Emote in Fortnite as we inquire into our partner’s creative intentions in this collab emote,” reads a social post from Fortnite. “Assuming it’s not coming back, we’ll issue refunds in the next few days. Sorry folks.”
Why so controversial? Well it turns out, as revealed in the latest episode, Peacemaker has been living in an alternate dimension where Nazis won World War 2 and the American flag’s stars have been swapped for swastika.
And looking at the dance emote in retrospect, yeah, it’s pretty obviously imitating swastika.
What’s most remarkable about this is that Warner Bros. agreed on the collaboration with Epic, but seemingly didn’t forewarn them of the emote’s true meaning. Perhaps they were worried about spoilers leaking ahead of the episode airing last week.
Peacemaker writer and director James Gunn posted earlier this month about Peacemaker’s inclusion in Fortnite, adding “check out his bundle, complete with Peacemaker’s best friend Eagly and a peace-spreading, hip-swaying emote or two ;)” – that winky face is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
Nobody wants nazi symbolism in their kid-friendly battle royale, but it’s not just the TV show’s viewers who have been duped by a big twist.
Could this impact any future collaborations between Epic and Warner Bros.? Eurogamer has contacted Epic to find out.
Leaks have suggested Sonic and Shadow will be headed to Fortnite in some form soon, though hopefully will prove less controversial.
