CARY — Fornite fans are paying tribute to the late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman inside the game.
At Fornite’s Panther’s Prowl location, one of several Marvel-themed locations recently set up inside Fornite to kick off its new season, players are flooding to the site to honor the actor. It contains a massive computer-generated statue of the Black Panther.
Famed most notably for his portrayal of T’Challa, Boseman passed away from colon cancer on Aug. 28.
Despite the timing of it, Epic maintains the addition was coincidental in a sense. The studio said it had already planned for the statue’s addition.
“As with the rest of the world, we were greatly saddened to learn of the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman,” a representative was quoted as saying PCInvasion. “The Black Panther monument arrived this morning as part of a previously-planned narrative for the new Chapter 2 Season 4 season.”
Fornite launched the new season on Aug. 28 and includes a Marvel superhero theme, with a team of superheroes and villains in the colorful world of the battle royale.
Players can grab skins, cosmetics, and collectibles. Marvel-themed locations and landmarks are also popping up.
According to Hypex, several more Marvel characters will be added, including Hulk and Wolverine. However, there has been no confirmation about the timeline for these so far.
Fans also flooded social media with tribute images and clips. Many have called for the proceeds raised via the sale of a Black Panther skin to be donated to charity.
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