One unexpected consequence of a recent murder charge could see millions of Fortnite players receive a refund for items purchased in-game, as many call for their money back on social media following recent controversy.
Many were left stunned after heavily decomposed human remains were discovered in a Tesla vehicle registered to David Anthony Burke, better known by his musical alias 'd4vd', with the Los Angeles Police Department alerted to the incident last September due to the foul smell emanating from the car.
The body was shortly after identified as 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been reported missing by her family for several months and was alleged to be in a relationship with the aforementioned singer, especially after people discovered a hidden track featuring her name.
Burke was then subsequently announced as the target of a grand jury investigation in February this year, and arrested on April 16 on suspicion of the murder of Rivas.
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Charges were then given on April 20 with Burke accused of first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14, and mutilation of a body, with prosecutors even seeking the death penalty in this specific instance.
Outside of his prominence in the music industry – which saw him collaborate with several popular artists – d4vd was also a notable figure in the gaming world having made his start as a content creator.
In particular, Burke initially gained popularity by sharing Fortnite videos with his own songs in the background, as per the Metro, and had collaborated with streamers like Pokimane and Jasontheween in the past.
This also led Fortnite developer Epic Games to conduct an official collaboration with the singer, allowing him to produce the game's first official anthem, Locked And Loaded, alongside a collection of his favorite cosmetics with 'd4vd's Locker Bundle'.
These were very popular in-game when released, yet understandably many players aren't too happy to own them following the accusations and official charges, leading the developer to issue a response.
"We hear the concerns," wrote the official Fortnite Status account on X. "We have a bunch of changes we're rolling out over time. The first one will be available on Tuesday April 28th, when anyone who purchased one of these items will be able to get an immediate self-service refund.
"And, right now, players who request refunds for D4vd cosmetics via player support can be refunded," the post added.
This appears to suggest that both the Locked And Loaded anthem, alongside items included in the Locker Bundle, will be eligible for a refund despite the fact that the former was comprised solely of cosmetics already in the game — although there will likely be further clarity once the self-service process is fully set up.
Many still don't think this is enough though, calling on Epic Games to remove all the associated cosmetics and items from the game entirely in order to prevent any reference from being available due to his alleged crimes.
"Just refund it to everyone and PERMANENTLY remove them," demanded one user, with another adding: "You guys are f***ing disgusting. Money is more important than the little girl that f***ing died in the hands of David? REMOVE HIM FROM THE GAME AND GIVE PEOPLE REFUNDS."