Epic Games has revealed details about the Lantern Fest in Fortnite – an annual in-game celebration, occurring during the Holy Month of Ramadan – which was created and executed in partnership with the Esports and Gaming Agency MENA (EGA MENA).
The idea was to place one of the world’s most famous gaming characters (Peely) from Fortnite in a local Ramadan-y setting surrounded with top regional gamers and influencers.
From Peely eating samosas, and dancing the Ardah at a Saudi wedding, to playing Fortnite in a Desert Majlis, EGA fully produced and cast the video campaign that resonated really well with the gaming community.
The campaign was primarily designed to strengthen brand relevance and emotional connection with audiences in the Middle East during one of the most culturally significant moments of the year. By authentically reflecting Ramadan nights, the goal is to position Fortnite as a natural part of how people connect, socialise, and spend time together.
From a marketing perspective, the campaign intended to drive brand awareness and engagement, particularly around Lantern Fest, while reinforcing Fortnite’s identity as more than just a game, a platform for shared experiences.
رحلة بيلي كانت خيالية مليانة مغامرات… بس المتعة الحقيقية تبدأ في لمّة المجلس مع الأصحاب
عائلة فورتنايت تتمنالكم مهرجان فانوس سعيد❤️ pic.twitter.com/i8VzLKSbN4
— Fortnite ME (@FortniteME) February 19, 2026
The hero video film was also a first-of-its-kind by Epic Games in the Middle East, and went viral in the region, with gamers praising the film’s creative idea, and it also went viral worldwide in other markets.
The creative vision for Peely was inspired by the unique rhythm of the region’s Ramadan nights: a time when friends gather and moments of connection extend late into the night.
The EGA teams observed that gaming, has naturally become part of that ritual, acting as a modern extension of the majlis where people come together to play, laugh, and share experiences.
At its core, the campaign delivers a simple but powerful message: the best moments of Ramadan are the ones shared together, both in real life and in-game.
EGA’s research highlighted how Ramadan in the Middle East, is not just a time of reflection, but also a deeply social period where nights become the centre of activity, a digital space where gamers connect through gaming.
This revealed an opportunity to tell a story that doesn’t separate the two worlds, but instead shows how they coexist, with the same sense of fun, and togetherness running through both.
The campaign primarily targeted Gen Z and young millennials in the Middle East, particularly those who are already active in gaming and social media. These are digitally native audiences who naturally move between real-life experiences and online platforms, using games like Fortnite as a key way to connect with friends.
The campaign also spoke to a broader group of social gamers and casual players, including those who may return to gaming during Ramadan when nights are longer and more social.
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Strategic rollout of the Lantern Fest campaign with Peely
The campaign was built from the ground up around authentic Saudi Ramadan experiences, rather than adapting a global idea. Every element from the settings and scenarios to the tone and storytelling, was rooted in how people in the region actually spend their nights during Ramadan.
The language, humour and pacing were also crafted to reflect the natural rhythm of Ramadan nights in the Middle East, relaxed, social and full of spontaneous moments.
At the same time, EGA balanced this authenticity with Fortnite’s identity by integrating the brand in a way that feels native to the experience.
The campaign was rolled out across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and TikTok.
The campaign engaged audiences by reflecting their reality in a way that felt authentic and relatable. By capturing familiar Ramadan moments, the content felt personal rather than promotional. It spoke the audience’s language, both culturally and visually, which naturally drives engagement.
Post-launch, EGA witnessed strong organic interaction across platforms, with high levels of comments, shares and conversations around the film. Audiences connected with the humour, the cultural references, and the overall tone.
What stood out most was the cross-market attention the campaign received. Influencers and well-known figures from other regions began sharing and discussing the film, highlighting its creativity.
This extended the campaign’s reach beyond the local market and reinforced its impact as a piece of storytelling, not just advertising.
Success of the Lantern Fest campaign
EGA evaluated the campaign using a mix of reach, engagement and sentiment metrics to understand both scale and impact.
Key indicators included views, impressions, shares, comments and completion rates, alongside qualitative measures such as audience sentiment and conversation quality.
The campaign delivered strong organic performance across all platforms, with high engagement rates. The agency saw audiences not only watching the content, but actively engaging with it referencing relatable moments, and participating in the conversation.
The campaign generated tens of millions of views and over a million interactions across platforms. This included a strong volume of impressions, shares, comments and organic conversations, reflecting both scale and audience involvement.
CREDITS:
Clients: Epic Games / Fornite
Agency: Esports and Gaming Agency MENA (EGA MENA)
This was a cross-department collaboration across EGA, with the EGA creatives, account managers, influencers, social media teams and operations teams working together to bring the campaign to life.
