It's been over four years since Epic Games brought AI bot players into the lobbies of Fortnite's Battle Royale mode. Back then they were pretty… well, bad, and it turns out that in 2024, they're still really bad.
The latest proof that AI really isn't ready to take over our Fortnite lobbies, let alone the world, comes via Reddit user u/johnnyratface. The clip shows three robots on the same team all huddled together in a building doorway, seemingly unable to get out of it. As soon as u/johnnyratface gets close, the shooting starts. And oh boy, do the robots shoot. In what can only be described as a pretty solid Stormtrooper impression, they shoot at just about anything but at… you know, the enemy.
The Bot situation really needs to be addressed. It got worse.
ofu/johnnyratface inFortNiteBR
Some players have suggested killing as many bots as possible in hopes that the original poster (OP) will be placed in lobbies with fewer bots and more people. Others suggested just enjoying the dumb AI while it lasted before they ended up in lobbies full of experienced players.
Another group of players in the responses felt that the number of bots in lobbies should be reduced or even stopped entirely after passing a certain rank. Whatever the ideal solution, there is a general consensus that bots have become a bit of a problem in their current form in Fortnite.
Back in 2019 when they were first introduced as part of Chapter 2 Season 1, Epic said in a blog post that the intent for bots was to “provide a better way for players to grow in skill,” and that they would “work together with the new matchmaking system, and as your skill improves, you'll face fewer bots.” While players do face fewer bots, the change seems too sudden, going from lobbies mostly filled with bots, to barely anyone in what feels like a matter of games. The lack of “hard tuning” for lack of a better term, doesn't help either. A bot is a bot. They are all as stupid as each other. If there were levels to their ability, it might make their inclusion in lobbies a little less frustrating for those who are looking for a more challenging experience, but aren't quite ready for the high ELO lobbies yet.
What do you do about the bots in Fortnite? Let us know in the comments below.
