Epic Games has announced that a Fortnite emote associated with retiring WWE superstar and current movie mega-star John Cena has been disabled, maybe indefinitely, because of its possible Nazi connection.
Peaceful Hips, an emote in the popular battle royale shooter, was created in collaboration between James Gunn’s DC show Peacemaker and Epic Games. The emote sees your character goofily rotate their hips before making alternating “L” shapes with their arms. If you’ve watched Peacemaker, then you’re familiar with the dance; it’s what Cena performs in the second season’s opening montage. It’s awkward and stiff, which is what’s supposed to make it a lighthearted gaff, particularly given the character’s often violent personality. However, with the show’s latest episode, the quirky dance–and Fortnite emote–have taken on a whole new meaning.
Light Spoilers for Peacemaker S2, E6
Titled “Ignorance Is Chris,” the September 25 episode sees Peacemaker discover that the alternate dimension he’s so fond of is actually Nazi America. This version of the US shows a true Anglo state, where there are only white people, and the stars of the American flag have been replaced with swastikas. It’s this fact that unlocks the new meaning behind Peacemaker’s dance in the opening of Season 2; those alternating “L” shapes he’s making with his arms are stand-ins for the swastika.
With some fans pointing this out on X/Twitter, Epic Games has pulled the emote offline, possibly indefinitely, as it investigates its partner’s “creative intentions.”
“We’re disabling the Peaceful Hips Emote in Fortnite as we inquire into our partner’s creative intentions in this collab emote,” Epic Games said on X/Twitter on September 28. “Assuming it’s not coming back, we’ll issue refunds in the next few days. Sorry folks.”
Peacemaker showrunner James Gunn hasn’t publicly commented on the situation. As noted by PC Gamer, however, Gunn promoted the collab on X/Twitter on September 13. Considering how frequently he posts on the social media site, there’s a possibility he’ll say something about Epic Games’ decision.
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