Fortnite players generate over $100 million for Ukraine in under a week, set new record

The war in Ukraine has been raging for over a month now, something that the Fortnite community has not forgotten. In fact, ever since Epic Games announced that they would be committing all proceedings from the game from March 20 to April 3, towards humanitarian efforts - the community has banded together like never before.

So the question to be asked here is - "How much money has Fortnite raised for Ukraine?"

Well, according to an official post from five days ago (March 26), the contributions reached a whopping $70 million. While this in itself is a milestone, the community did not sleep on it. In fact, more players jumped on the contribution bandwagon and poured funds into the relief effort.

As of March 29, 2022, the combined effort of Fortnite fans around the world has led to Epic Games collecting over $100 million for Ukraine. This amount may quite possibly be the largest donation to Ukraine from a single private entity.

In addition to providing aid, Epic Games is currently also collaborating with numerous other organizations such as UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), WFP (World Food Programme), UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), Direct Relief, and WCK (World Central Kitchen) to help those in need.

With a few more days left for proceedings from the game going towards this relief fund, there's a possibility of it reaching a grand total of over $120 million. Here's what a few Loopers have to say about the funding effort:

Given the ongoing situation, the humanitarian aid that Epic Games is providing will help benefit those in the war-torn region. Despite everyone trying their best to help others, there are individuals who seem to think this initiative is a bad idea. According to a few 'trolls,' the entire donation drive equals 'L+Ratio.'

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Don't feel the 'trolls' - Fortnite edition

Given how vast and dynamic the Fortnite community is, not everyone seems to agree on basic human rights. While the majority showcased their support on social media by leaving heartfelt messages, some decided to take the low road and mock the effort. Here's an example of these individuals:

While the above example is one of the worst ones out there, there are others as well. For instance, a few players have dragged the no-build debate onto the tweet about the funding effort. Given the zero relevance between the two, most of these users are seeking validation from social media. Here's another example:

Thankfully, the community shuts down most of these 'trolls' when they make these statements. Some members even go to the extent of calling out these individuals on Twitter and shaming them if needs be. Here's an example of the same:

Perhaps the strangest comment came from a user who asked - "How much money has Fortnite (Epic Games) raised for Ukraine?" According to the user, the developers are donating funds that have been generated by in-game purchases made by players and not their own. A user who goes by the name RaygunAgent said:

"No, it's not a bad idea (the donations). What's bad is that a multi-billion dollar company can't seem to offer to match its customers' donations dollar for dollar. Anyone who reads that page can see that they're not kicking over as much as a cent of their own money. That's not right. Prove me wrong."

While the individual does have a point, at the moment, it can't be said for certain whether Epic Games is going to match the donations or not. It can also be debated as to whether they have to match the donated amount at all, given that the donation is being taken from their own revenue.

Nevertheless, keeping the debate aside, the donation drive has been one of the most successful till date. With the war showing no signs of slowing down or stopping, this may be one of many such drives to help the country rebuild. All said and done, this truly shows what the Fortnite community can achieve when they work together.