Fortnite announces punishment against players who abuse bot lobbies

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Bot lobbies are one of the most helpful things in Fortnite. They allow players to hone their skills by playing against low-skilled AI opponents, which comes in handy. Many members of the community also use them to complete challenges easily and without any distractions. These lobbies have been active since 2019, but Epic Games just started cracking down on them.

From now on, you can get punished for abusing bot lobbies in Fortnite. While this may sound like a harsh decision, it actually makes a lot of sense.

Are Fortnite bot lobbies banned?

Bot lobbies have been around since Epic Games added skill-based matchmaking back in Chapter 2 – Season 1. They are active in Battle Royale, although some players have found ways to make them work in other modes. Due to this, the Fortnite developer has decided to crack down on them. Many players started using these lobbies in Ranked gameplay, which is certainly not allowed.

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Epic is fully committed to combating cheaters in Fortnite, and in late December 2024, the company filed a lawsuit against one. Now, it’s time to punish players who abuse bot lobbies and use them in Fortnite Ranked.

Fortnite OG map
Bot lobbies cannot be used in some Fortnite modes. Image by VideoGamer

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Epic wrote the following: “We’ve recently taken action against players using party and account loopholes, or “bot lobbies”, to manipulate their Ranked standing and other competitive systems. We want Fortnite to be fun and fair for all players – anyone found using these methods will face significant penalties.”


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This decision will mostly affect players who use Discord bots to enter bot lobbies and increase their ranks in competitive modes. However, it won’t be surprising if Epic Games soon comes after players who manipulate matchmaking in non-competitive playlists.

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About the Author

Asmir Pekmic

Asmir is a gaming writer at Video Gamer and has over a decade's experience. In his spare time, Asmir loves playing Fortnite and Overwatch, while basketball is also one of his hobbies.

Fortnite

  • Platform(s): Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
  • Genre(s): Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter
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