Red Cross Is Using Fortnite to Get Gen Z Into Lifesaving Mode

Nobody's sick of Fortnite yet! To reach a young audience that's really into dancing and battles royale, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) partnered with Wunderman Thompson and Team Evolve to conceive Liferun, a four-mission custom gaming mode on Fortnite.

The twist? You save lives, not take them.

Fortnite is a battle royale style survival game, where 100 players fight to be the last one standing. (Remember dodgeball?) Its creative mode enables users to create their own islands and rules of engagement. Team Evolve works with brands looking to exploit that.

"Video games represent a huge opportunity to spread the word about the importance of the laws of armed conflict and how they are designed to protect the most vulnerable in conflict zones," says Jennifer Hauseman, director of communications and information management at the ICRC. "This mode that we have co-developed is our first foray into creative modes on Fortnite." 

Liferun lets players act as ICRC workers in the field, and up to 16 people can share a map. Its four different missions include saving lives in a war-torn city, de-arming mines, rebuilding local infrastructure, and delivering supplies through conflict zones. 

The mode debuted at PAX South 2020 on Jan. 19, headlined by FPS streamer DrLupo, Fortnite gamer ONE_shot_GURL, and Fortnite streamer Lachlan. The first-ever Fortnite Peace Prize was also issued for the winner of Liferun's inaugural session; Lachlan took it home. 

"Video games have been mainstream entertainment and social platforms for a long time, and we know that many gamers are also current, past or future soldiers, army officers, armed group members, CEOs of companies, lawyers and political leaders," Hauseman says. "We need to talk to them in a smart and engaging way to explain that civilians suffer greatly in conflict."

The mode has reached about 14 million users since its release.

CREDITS

Danielle Trivisonno-Hawley, EVP and ECD, Wunderman Thompson Seattle
Jason Brush, EVP Product & Service Design, Head of Innovation at Wunderman Thompson Seattle
Claire Nellessen, Senior Art Director, Wunderman Thompson Seattle
Craig Jelniker, Director of Integrated Production, Wunderman Thompson Seattle
Rick Albano, Executive Creative Director, Swift