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Hats Off to Epic - Avxry Commends Action Taken Against Fortnite Cheaters

Michael Caruso

Epic Games

Cheating in Fortnite has become more and more of an issue in recent years. On PC lobbies, you'll occasionally encounter an enemy defying in-game logic, and losing to something you can't control is incredibly frustrating in any battle royale.

Leaker @HYPEX on X posted about new initiatives that Epic Games is taking to crack down on cheaters. The most notable is an increase in legal action against not only cheaters themselves but also those who sell cheating tools. Banning players isn't always an effective way to deal with cheating, since the rule breakers can just make a new account.

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Alongside Fortnite's dedication to banning players and threatening legal action, Epic Games is committed to finding new methods to detect cheaters. As new technology becomes available, game developers create unique ways to combat those exploiting their systems.

Another popular leaker named @ShiinaBR shared more information in an X post. Those who team with cheaters will also be eligible for punishment, including a minimum 28-day ban from competitive Fortnite. Punishing team members of a cheater may seem extreme to some, but it's a necessary step to discourage cheating as a whole in the explosive third-person shooter.

Cash prizes for competitive players will now be limited to the highest levels too, which may potentially prevent cheaters from earning money from their exploits. Changing the rules of competitive Fortnite will likely upset certain fans, but luckily the community has shown a positive reaction to the news for the most part.

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Despite all of the different efforts that Epic has made so far, cheaters are still fairly common in Fortnite: Battle Royale matches, which disrupts the grenade-chucking gameplay flow for thousands of dedicated fans every day. The Fortnite community has been reacting to the uplifting news, and while some fans are happy that Epic Games is cracking down on cheaters, others don't believe it'll truly solve the problem.

What is the Fortnite Community Saying about Cheaters?

Well-known streamer Avxry has commented on HYPEX's post, stating that he commends Epic Games for taking the necessary actions to stop cheaters in their tracks. Although some believe that this issue should've received more support earlier, it's still good that the developer is finally looking to put an end to cheating once and for all.

Another streamer named @halobombtrooper is also enthusiastic about Fortnite taking a stand against exploiters who make the battle royale unfair. A common complaint in the Fortnite community today is that while Epic has tried to mitigate the number of cheaters active in Fortnite via account bans and advanced detection strategies, players rarely get punished in a major way.

By threatening legal action, many cheaters will be too scared to continue. Legal action often works well as a deterrent, but it'll take time to see whether or not cheaters will cease their wicked ways in Fortnite. Countering aimbot and other common cheats is a challenging task, so it's nice to know that Epic Games is at least taking the problem seriously.

This hope and praise runs directly counter to the frustration and anger expressed by many creators in the Call of Duty scene, most notably 100 Thieves founder Nadeshot. Players are frustrated by the lack of response and apparent effectiveness of anti-cheat programs in the recently-release Black Ops 6.

Pessimism in the Fortnite Community

A few voices in the Fortnite community are noting that the cheating crisis in Fortnite won't be solved until Epic Games bans exploiters in not only competitive modes, but casual play as well. @Dobe46_streams has commented about his frustration that Epic Games only seems to be taking cheating seriously when it affects competitive players.

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This isn't an uncommon sentiment since the vast majority of Fortnite fans aren't involved in competitive play at all. By prioritizing competitive players, Epic Games could potentially lose fans who feel like they aren't being heard. Some X users don't believe that Epic's new initiative will solve the problem and that their mention of legal action is an empty threat.

X user @juufn_ seems to think that the threatened action won't really take place, but the Fortnite fan also wants to wait before jumping to definitive conclusions. The pessimism in the Fortnite community surrounding cheating is fair since the battle royale has had major success throughout the last five years, but still hasn't solved this issue.

Fortunately, Epic Games is starting to come to the realization that Fortnite will only stay successful if it continues to advance over time. Fortnite has always been a fun and innovative game, so hopefully it'll evolve into a third-person shooter that's fair for both competitive and casual players.

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Michael Caruso
MICHAEL CARUSO

Michael Caruso is a journalist of five years who works to share his passion for gaming with the world. Throughout his career, Michael has written for various video game and news publications, focusing his writing on entertainment and the well-being of the environment. When Michael isn't writing, he can be found playing his guitar or immersed in a virtual world.

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