Epic Games has announced that Fortnite's new season is being pushed to Wednesday, June 17, while The Device live event has been delayed until Monday, June 15.
"Recent events are a heavy reminder of ongoing injustices in society, from the denial of basic human rights to the impact of racism both overt and subtle against people of color. We're acutely aware of the pain our friends, families, team members, players, and communities are experiencing," reads a post on the Epic Games site.
On May 25, George Floyd was killed in Minnesota by a police officer, who used the weight of his knee to suffocate Floyd for nearly nine minutes. In the weeks following, protests around the world have demanded justice against the assailing officer as well as the three officers who stood idly by as Floyd was being killed.
Companies have been delaying events so as not to interrupt the conversation addressing police violence against black people. Likewise, the PS5 reveal event scheduled for Thursday has been postponed indefinitely. EA has also delayed the Madden 21 unveiling for similar reasons. The Future Games Show, previously scheduled for Saturday, has been pushed to June 13.
Fortnite's Chapter 2 Season 3 launch was previously scheduled for June 11, after being delayed from its original June 6 start date. The Device is a live event expected to usher in the next season of Fortnite.
GamesRadar+ recently published a comprehensive piece on Black Lives Matter and how you can help. Please do give it a read.