Targeting Gamer Votes... Harris Town in Popular Game 'Fortnite'

[US Election 2024]

A town supporting U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris has been created in the popular game 'Fortnite.' With only eight days left until the U.S. presidential election, the Harris campaign made this to target young voters who enjoy gaming.

According to Bloomberg News and others, on the 28th (local time), the Harris campaign unveiled a new map called 'Freedom Town, USA' within Fortnite, created by Epic Games.

When gamers visit this town, they can see campaign signs for Vice President Harris and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz. They can also build houses using Harris's key policies such as small business tax cuts and reducing housing costs. The 'exploding soccer ball' used to attack opponents is inspired by Walz's background as a football coach. When gamers collect cats, a controversial remark by former President Donald Trump (Republican presidential candidate) saying "They’re eating the dogs, eating the cats" is triggered.

By using the popular game to promote Vice President Harris's key policies, the campaign also encourages gamers to vote. The Harris campaign's recent active outreach to gamers is interpreted as a response to concerns over declining support among Black male voters, traditionally considered a Democratic base.

The day before, vice presidential candidate Tim Walz played games such as 'Madden NFL 25' and 'Crazy Taxi' on the game streaming platform Twitch with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest-ever federal congresswoman in her 30s (Democrat, New York). During the gameplay, they discussed political topics ranging from housing support to the Biden administration's stance on the Gaza conflict, according to reports. Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent, Vermont), a symbol of progressive U.S. politics, also appeared last week on Twitch and YouTube platforms with video game influencers to help promote the Harris campaign, drawing attention.

Bloomberg News evaluated, "Gaming has become a new battleground for presidential candidates targeting young voters." The Washington Post (WP) noted, "Harris is partnering with video game companies in the final stretch of the campaign to capture the hearts of young male voters." Some analysts suggest that with polls showing a tight race until the end, young voters?who traditionally have lower turnout rates?could be decisive. Previously, former President Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, also appeared in live streams with Adin Ross, who became famous playing NBA 2K and other games.