Harris campaign signs pop up in video game Fortnite as US election candidates chase gamer vote

WASHINGTON – Fans of the popular video game Fortnite can enter a new virtual world “Freedom Town, USA” as of Oct 28. It was created by Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ campaign.

In Freedom Town, which is accessible through Epic Games’ Fortnite platform, there are campaign signs for Ms Harris and her running mate Tim Walz.

In the game, players take advantage of small-business tax breaks, collect construction supplies and build new homes to lower housing costs. They can also shoot exploding footballs at opponents, a reference to Mr Walz’s time as a high school coach.

Video games are the latest battlegrounds for candidates chasing young voters.

It is a particular focus for Ms Harris, as recent polls suggest that young male voters, and young black men in particular, are more likely to vote for Republicans and former US president Donald Trump than in the past.

The Trump campaign has made its own pitch to gamers.

In August, the former US president appeared on a live streaming with Mr Adin Ross, who became famous playing Take-Two Interactive Software’s NBA 2K and Grand Theft Auto.

Mr Ross hosts his live streaming on Kick.com, which is operated by the owner of Australian crypto casino Stake.

Some 564,000 people tuned in, according to the company, although analysts have questioned whether Kick’s metrics are accurate. 

Trump spoke on the economy and immigration. A spokesperson for Trump’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Over the weekend, Mr Walz joined Democratic politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York to play Madden NFL 25 and Crazy Taxi on the game streaming platform Twitch. 

While the two played, they discussed political topics, from housing assistance for first-time home buyers to the Biden administration’s position on the war in Gaza.

Mr Walz waxed nostalgic for Sega’s 25-year-old Dreamcast video-game console. 

Last week, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders appeared with several video-game influencers on Twitch and YouTube to promote the Harris campaign.

Videos of the live streaming were viewed nearly one million times after the event across YouTube and Twitch.

Ms Harris’ YouTube channel released a trailer for Freedom Town on Oct 28 backed by a song from rapper Megan Thee Stallion.

The campaign is also working with gaming influencers Jordan “HusKerrs” Thomas, Morgan “Modelmorg” Pope and more to get the word out about the new virtual world. 

While Fortnite is run by Epic, that company was not involved directly in the design of Freedom Town.

Developers can make their own “maps” within the game using tools provided by Epic. 

Whether it will pay off for Ms Harris remains to be seen. As of midday on Oct 28, Freedom Town had fewer than 150 active players. BLOOMBERG