New Aim Assist Bug in Fortnite: Battle Royale to be Fixed in Upcoming Update
In an upcoming v7.40 update, design lead Eric Williamson announced that a new controller aim assist bug in Fortnite: Battle Royale will be addressed by developer Epic Games. Players have been taking to social media to report that this exploit allows them to perfectly aim at opponents, even when they are not visible. Aiming down sights with weapons such as Assault Rifles and SMGs triggers the crosshair to automatically move towards nearby opponents, essentially acting as a built-in aimbot.
Aim Assist Exploit Gives Players an Unfair Advantage
The aim assist exploit is especially problematic because it allows players to know how opponents are moving, even when the opponents are hiding behind obstacles like Stink Bombs. Fortnite leakers at FNBRLeaks demonstrated this bug in a video, showing just how easy it is to take advantage of this unintended behavior.
Addressing the Issue
Epic Games acknowledges the issue and is working on a fix. Eric Williamson stated that the 7.40 update, expected to be released next week, will “mitigate” the aim assist bug. The planned fix involves adding a cooldown to the aim assist effect to lessen worst-case scenarios when rapidly aiming down sights. The development team is currently testing different timings to ensure a fair adjustment.
Solutions in the Meantime
Until the fix is implemented, players are advised to counter the exploit by building structures and avoiding the opponent’s crosshair as much as possible. By tricking opponents into aiming at a different spot, players can more easily take them down.