Fortnite players slam Epic Games for ruining matches with AI bots

Josh Taylor
Fortnite AI bot using default skin.

Fortnite players have had enough of Epic Games using AI bots to fill up their matches despite the millions of daily players.

Fortnite’s ever-changing Battle Royale mode has always divided community opinions no matter how much each feature, weapon, or in-game item impacts the game.

Chapter 5 has seen a whole overhaul of brand-new additions and changes that have freshened up the meta and how players compete to get themselves a Victory Royale.

However, one feature that has been in the game since Chapter 2 Season 1, is the use of AI bots, and it has once again been causing a storm among the player base.

Fortnite players are still furious over AI bots ruining matches

Fortnite player eL_graves asked the community: “Is this (AI) fun for anyone? Million+ daily players, what is the need for this?” This was showcased alongside a short clip of them easily eliminating the enemy player suspected of being an AI bot by barely even trying.

Despite having three medallions equipped and being stacked full of loot in the final circle, they simply launched a targeted missile from their Anvil Rocket Launcher and the opposing player walked straight into it, gifting them the win.

Players soon flooded in to bash Epic’s overuse of AI bots: “I don’t mind a few bots here and there. But I hate the whole cycle of winning a game and getting matched against crazy skill-level players, then losing and having a lobby full of bots. That cycle is so unsatisfying.”

Various others echoed that it “ruins” the game: “It’s no fun either getting a game, and it’s just bots. Like two bots fighting each other, no damage and I can third-party them. Sure k/d is up, but it feels cheated.”

Others disagreed: “Personally I kind of like the AI. As a dad who works 50-60 hours a week and isn’t the best at the game, I’ll admit it’s nice to be able to hop in a game, get a few kills, and not always die right off the rip.”

Another added: “I mean, you still had to defeat every real player to get there, unless the last human sucked bad enough to die to the bot, then that’s just a reflection on the skill level of the whole lobby.”

AI bots have been used by the developers to try and balance the difficulty of matches through Skill-Based Matchmaking for close to five years. With this is in mind, and Epic not providing any information to suggest otherwise, the feature has no signs of being removed from Fortnite any time soon.