With over 160 million followers, Senegalese-born TikTok star Khaby Lame, known for his expressive face and wordless videos, has reached a new milestone by becoming a video game character. He is featured in the latest season of Epic Games‘ popular battle royale game Fortnite, which centers on a high-stakes heist.
In Fortnite Chapter 4: Season 4, titled “Last Resort,” players can play as Lame after unlocking his “icon series” skin through the Battle Pass system that players need to purchase, which costs 950 V-Bucks, approximately $10 per season.
As Lame, players can break into vaults, evade security cameras, and engage in thrilling gameplay. “I’ve been a big ‘Fortnite’ fan for a long time. I started playing five years ago, and sometimes I posted videos on YouTube or tagged Fortnite in stories. I was thrilled about this game,” Lame expressed to Variety. He also mentioned that he’s most often played as Black Knight in the past.
He disclosed that Epic Games approached him about a year ago for the collaboration, and he enthusiastically accepted the opportunity to become an action hero in a video game. “My reaction was pure excitement,” he recounted. “Who doesn’t want to be an action hero in a video game? It sounded so fun!”
Apart from signing off on his likeness, Lame worked closely with Epic Games to ensure that his character’s details were accurately represented; providing input on outfits, filming and capturing his body movements for in-game play, and collaborating on various aspects of his character’s design.
Even though he was quite involved in the production process, Lame expressed delight when he saw his skin live in the game. “On release day, I turned on the game and started playing. It was surreal. I just stared at my character for a good 15 minutes, to be honest. I am so blessed, and I just took some time to enjoy the game and the experience.”
The TikTok star shared that the response from his fans has been very positive, with many sharing screenshots and shout-outs while playing as his character. According to TechTimes, Lame’s character offers two skins in Fortnite, along with a dedicated glider and other items that complement his appearance.
Lame’s inclusion in Fortnite is part of Epic Games’ ongoing collaborations with real-world artists and personalities. Previous collaborations have featured NBA superstar LeBron James with his Space Jam 2 outfit and Ariana Grande, who made an appearance during Fortnite’s Rift Tour event.
According to Video Games, Lame was born in Senegal but has lived in Italy for the majority of his life, finally becoming an Italian citizen in 2022.
He began creating content on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic after being laid off from his job, swiftly rising in popularity and is now a well-known character in Italian pop culture, even featuring in promotional videos for Juventus F.C. and subsequently becoming a judge on Italia’s Got Talent.
