FaZe Clan's Nate Hill, Marshmello Raise Money in Fortnite for COVID-19 Relief

Marshmello is no stranger to the world of Fortnite. The DJ and electronic dance music icon gained notoriety in January 2019 for hosting a full concert within the game that drew in millions of viewers.

On Tuesday, he used the platform for good, teaming up with FaZe Clan gamer Nate Hill and Verizon on a stream with proceeds benefiting small businesses around the country that have been hit hard by the spread of COVID-19.

Each time the hashtag #PayItForwardLive was used, Verizon donated $10 to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, which has worked with the telecom giant to create a small business relief fund. That made the games rather secondary to Hill and Marshmello. After getting through a few Battle Royale matches on Fortnite, the two pivoted to making donations of their own.

The pro gamer and DJ dropped into random streams of small business employees or those who had been laid off and handed out $500 each to help support those struggling as the coronavirus continues to impact everyday life.

The reactions to Hill and Marshmello dropping in were almost as good as the reaction to the donations, with gamers unable to wrap their heads around the moment and some unable to stop shaking.

It made for an uplifting hour on Twitch as the two hosts chatted about their favorite small businesses—with Hill placing an order at a local sushi shop during the stream—as more than 13 million total viewers tuned in and tweeted along to raise money.