Art thieves invade Fortnite: Classic artworks from the Finnish National Gallery are now up for grabs in a new version of the popular game

The National Gallery's classic artworks can now be admired in a completely new context within the super-popular Fortnite game. Launching on the Fortnite Creative platform on Thursday, 5 September, "Art Heist" is an interactive map that combines art, culture, and entertainment.

In a creative twist on the game Capture the Flag, teams compete to find, steal, and protect valuable works of art. The game features seven iconic pieces from the Finnish National Gallery’s collection, including paintings by Finnish artists Akseli Gallen-Kallela and Eero Järnefelt.

Classic works of art are not a common sight in gaming, and even when they do appear, they tend to be in the background or used as decorations. In "Art Heist", however, they are a central part of the gaming experience and serve also as a source of inspiration for the different areas of the island map.

“This is the first time, as far as we are aware, that a museum has created a game environment like this. The whole process has been a learning experience for us on the different ways interactions can be created around art. The artworks are an integral part of the game's story, making Finnish art and culture more accessible to the players in the digital age,” says Anna Laamanen, Producer of Digital Content at the Finnish National Gallery.

The project is a collaboration between Adventure Club, Helsinki XR Center's Virtual Creation Core, and Transparent Eyeball. Several Fortnite players have also been actively involved in designing and testing the map.

Creating art experiences of the future

"Art Heist" is part of the broader Digital National Gallery programme (2022–2024), which aims to strengthen the Finnish National Gallery's capacity to create art services online. The programme has piloted new ways and formats for creating digital experiences that allow for a more diverse engagement with art.

For example, the Finnish National Gallery has previously launched an art hunt in Roblox, reaching almost 100,000 children during a meta-event at the YLE Independence Day reception. The "Art Trip" video essay series and "The World of Hugo Simberg" virtual exhibition are other examples of how combining art and technology can open up new ways of experiencing art.

“Through the Digital Finnish National Gallery programme, we are exploring and developing different ways to allow people to engage with art in a digital environment. ‘Art Heist’ exemplifies how we can extend access to art in young people's everyday lives by creating content for the platforms they are already using,” says Johanna Eiramo, Director of the Digital National Gallery programme.

“’Art Heist’ is another new way for us to work and implement our main mission of strengthening Finland's cultural heritage and promoting artistic education,” Kimmo Levä, Director General at the Finnish National Gallery, sums up.