Ex-UMD Basketball Players Sue Fortnite Over Running Man Dance

WORNSHOESBLOG April 22, 2020

COLLEGE PARK, MD — Two former University of Maryland men’s basketball players are suing the creators of “Fortnite” for allegedly misappropriating the “Running Man Challenge” dance they popularized online.

In a lawsuit filed in Maryland, Jaylen Brantley and Jared Nickens claimed that Epic Games unfairly profited from their “Running Man Challenge” dance that went viral on social media in 2016. Brantley and Nickens — who were UMD students at the time — could be seen in the video showing off their dances moves and challenging people to dance along.

The federal lawsuit claims “Fortnite” has infringed on the pair’s copyrights by selling the dance emote, called “Running Man,” as an in-game purchase. Brantley and Nickens are seeking upward of $20 million in damages.

Epic Games is the creator of “Fortnite,” a wildly popular online games that lets players build forts and battle each other for the No. 1 spot. It’s free to play the game. However, players can purchase customizable options for their avatars.

“(Epic Games) capitalized on the Running Man’s dance popularity, particularly with its younger fans, by selling the dance as an in-game purchase in Fortnite, under the name ‘Running Man,’
which players can buy to customize their avatars for use in the game. This dance was immediately recognized by players and media worldwide as the Running Man dance,” the lawsuit read.

Despite Epic Games profiting “from its improper misappropriation of the Running Man” — as the lawsuit alleges — the UMD men’s basketball team seemed excited that the dance was featured in “Fortnite.”

The team’s official Twitter account, @TerrapinHoops, posted a side-by-side comparison of the running man on Sept. 27, 2018:

The video of Brantley and Nickens doing the “Running Man Challenge” dance in UMD’s locker room has racked up millions of views across Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms. Reaching pinnacle viral fame, the pair was also invited to The Ellen DeGeneres Show in Burbank, Calif. The Terps were joined by two New Jersey high school students: Jeremiah Hall and Kevin Vincent. The high schoolers are credited with creating the dance.

Epic Games spokesman Nick Chester told the Associated Press in an email that the company does not comment on pending cases.

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THIRD VIDEO: TheEllenShow/YouTube

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