Fortnite sued over old dance emote Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Fortnite sued over old dance emote It's complicated. News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Updated on 31 Mar 2022 17 comments A choreographer is suing Epic Games over dance moves included in an old Fortnite emote. Kyle Hanagami, a choreographer who has worked with Britney Spears, Justin Bieber and J-Lo, filed suit against Epic regarding the "It's Complicated" emote, which was released within Fortnite back in August 2020. Lawyers for Hanagami have said the emote uses copyrighted dance moves from a 2017 video set to Charlie Puth's "How Long" (thanks, Kotaku) without credit or compensation. Watch on YouTube The moves in question appear at the beginning of the It's Complicated emote's dance routine, although the emote then continues on after. Hanagami's lawyers have posted a convincing comparison of the emote's introduction: Here's the full emote: Hanagami's lawsuit seeks the emote's removal from the game and compensation from any Fortnite profits incurred in its sale. This is the first Fortnite dance lawsuit in several years, following a spate of claims back in 2018. Then, rapper 2 Milly and Carlton AKA The Fresh Prince's Alfonso Ribeiro said Fortnite (and other games) had used their dance moves without permission. Neither claim was successful, due to how US copyright law handles individual dance moves. In the years since, and as it has grown into the pop culture behemoth it is today, Fortnite has begun notably crediting and collaborating on licensed emotes, skins and concerts featuring an array of popstars, DJs and TikTok stars. The game now includes emotes from Gangnam Style to Rick Astley, as part of its licensed "Icon" series. According to Fortnite's fan wiki, the It's Complicated emote appeared regularly in the game's shop until August 2021 - but then hasn't appeared since. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 8 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store