Khaby Lame, a Senegalese-born TikTok celebrity famed for his expressive face and wordless videos, has hit a new milestone by becoming a video game character. He appears in the most recent season of Epic Games’ blockbuster battle royale game Fortnite, which revolves around 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 revealed that his followers have responded well, with many sharing screenshots and shout-outs while playing as his avatar. According to TechTimes, Lame’s avatar in Fortnite provides two skins, as well as a dedicated glider and other things that fit his aesthetic.
The addition of Lame to Fortnite is part of Epic Games’ continuous collaborations with real-life artists and celebrities. Previous partnerships included NBA great LeBron James and his Space Jam 2 suit, as well as Ariana Grande, who appeared during Fortnite’s Rift Tour event.
Lame was born in Senegal but has spent the majority of his youth in Italy, eventually becoming an Italian citizen in 2022, according to Video Games.
He began generating content on TikTok after being laid off from his work during the COVID-19 pandemic, quickly growing in popularity and becoming a well-known character in Italian pop culture, even appearing in promotional films for Juventus F.C. and then becoming a judge on Italia’s Got Talent.