Middle Eastern players of the popular online game Fortnite can experience a specially made map with Ramadan-themed events and player skins. Named Lantern Fest 2024, the in-game event is back for its third year.
Running until April 10, the new map, or island as it's called in Fortnite, is a Middle Eastern-style oasis that includes challenges designed to coincide with the tradition and culture of the holy month.
Players are also granted access to two player skins, male and female versions named Anwar and Noorah. The pair’s outfits have special details such as the Omani khanjar, jewellery typical of the region and modest clothing.
The map includes challenges such as the Ramadan fawazir, a traditional quiz-style game typically played in the region, with questions focusing on Islamic culture and history. Players can also engage in other challenges including setting up a dining table or looking for a falcon.
Lantern Fest is a collaborative effort between Fortnite developer Epic Games and Abu Dhabi’s Esports & Gaming Agency. The UAE company, which started in 2015, prides itself on connecting multinational brands to the Middle East’s gaming audience.
Feras Mansour, account manager at EGA, tells The National that the Ramadan-themed in-game event is “our gift to the region”.
The team at EGA really wanted to make playing Fortnite during Ramadan a special experience for players in the region, as well as become a way for global players to be introduced to Middle Eastern culture, he says.
“We changed the timing of events and tournaments in Ramadan to suit players in the region.”
Ragid Hallak, Senior Marketing Manager at EGA, says the new map integrates all aspects of Ramadan culture into the game.
“It allows users not only in the region but globally to engage with this map and with our culture, which is a first for an AAA title,” he says. “There is a big appetite in the region to create custom and catered experiences for Middle Eastern audiences.”
Fortnite is one of the most popular online games in the world. Its accessibility and popularity is due to it being free for anyone to play, with its developer Epic Games able to make money from selling in-game skins, outfits, weapons and features.
The game is played in multiple ways but mainly takes the form of a battle royale where players land on the same island and then try to take each other out until only one is left as the winner of the round. According to statistics from tech site Business of Apps, Fortnite has approximately 650 million registered players.
Fortnite generated $4.4 billion revenue in 2022, about 85 per cent of its publisher Epic Games's total revenue during that year. Late last year, gaming lounge operator True Gamers reported that 32 per cent of players preferred to play Fortnite over other games. The second game on the list was Roblox at 14 per cent.
On Fortnite’s popularity in the region, Mansour says its due to the ever-changing nature of the game. “Every three months comes a new season in the game, that brings new maps, new skins, new weapons,” he says.
Another aspect that keeps the game popular is the introduction of various beloved characters into the game, these include figures from Star Wars, Marvel and DC comics among others. Celebrities have also shared their likeness to be played with in the game. The latest being rapper Eminem and pop star Lady Gaga.
John Adel, Marketing and Community Specialist at EGA, is particularly proud of the inclusion of Arab character skins in the game with Lantern Fest’s Anwar and Noorah.
“When you open the game and you can find Eminem and then you can find Anwar next to him, this shows the amount of work that we've put into it,” he says.
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla
Verdict: Three stars
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
