Fortnite dance emotes have got to be one of the best parts of playing the game. Best for moving and grooving just before getting onto the Battle Bus or after an epic kill. These Fortnite emotes have always kept up with the dancing trends of the here and now. Unfortunately for most choreographers of these cool dances, often, this meant that their hard work was stolen without credit or pay. And so, these creators have been trying to take action by suing Fortnite for their Dance Emotes. So here is a list of Dance Emotes that have gotten Fortnite sued.
What Dance Emotes has Fortnite been Sued For?
Swipe It
If you know the Milly Rock, then you have definitely seen the similarities between that and Swipe It. One of the popular dance emotes that a ton of Fortnite players use, it’s no wonder why rapper, 2 Milly filed a lawsuit against Epic. Fortunately for Epic Games, they were able to prove that while the two dances were similar, they were not the same. And in the end, 2 Milly had to drop the lawsuit.
Phone It In
Iconic dance moves on the stage and in the game, ‘Phone It In’ is a Fortnite dance emote where the character plays the saxophone while dancing to the song. Saxophonist, Leo Pellegrino sued Epic for copying his sweet moves on the stage. This loss was a little more puzzling as Leo’s moves are identical to that in the game. I guess that if you or your characters don’t share any biological features with someone, you’re technically off the hook from having anything to do with busting a sick move.
The Floss
The Floss, by The Backpack Kid (real name Russell Horning), is a sensational dance that got dental hygiene to the forefront of the dance world. And was introduced into the game almost immediately. You’d think that a kid would be happy over this. However, Russell was not as he too was given, neither the credit nor the royalties from the dance. However, since he did not own the copyright to the dance, Russell, lost his suit as well.
Fresh
If the name doesn’t ring a bell then maybe the dance will. From ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’, ‘Carlton’ was a dance created by Alfonso Ribeiro. The 90s sitcom features the actor dancing the ‘Carlton’ way before Fortnite was even created.
When the actor caught wind of the Battle Royale game using his choreography as a dance emote in Fortnite, he was furious.
Unfortunately, like the rest on this list, he initially did intend to sue the company. However, he did not win the settlement that he wanted. And later, dropped the suit without giving any reason.
It’s Complicated
The latest of the emote lawsuits between Fortnite and choreographers is the It’s Complicated emote. Choreographer, Kyle Hanagami has now made a suit against Epic Games. As they have copied his moves from the song, ‘How Long’ by Charlie Puth.
Unlike the others, however, Hanagami has actually got copyright over his moves and is able to prove that they are his own. With the dances being virtually identical to each other, we find that it will be difficult for Epic to win this one.
Emote 5
Fortnite’s default dance has left its real creator, Donald Faison bitter. His dance from the sitcom ‘Scrubs’ is copied and referenced as the ‘Fortnite Dance’. One can easily see why he’d be so upset over the creators of the game and their refusal to credit him for the same. Unlike the others, however, he did not file a suit against Epic Games. Maybe he knew what his fate would be.
Well, this is our list of Fortnite dance emotes that have sparked controversy and have gotten Epic Games sued over. Art may be a personal experience for most. But when you monetise the very same work without crediting or sharing the royalties of the same, it is unethical and disappointing. What do you feel about the same? If you want to check out more articles on Fortnite, check out this article on what does Illegal Restart mean in Fortnite.