Fortnite bans “Clout Farming” in extreme effort to curb cheating

In an Epic Games blog post, we have new information regarding steps the company will take to curb cheaters, colluders, and… clout farmers?

Earlier today, Fortnite released a huge dump of information all bundled up into a comprehensive “competitive update for Season 4.” To view all events this season, click here

The second half of that blog post provided more details in sequel to the first competitive integrity update on August 27th. The team gives a non-exhaustive list of examples for what can and cannot be considered collusion

Ch2 - Season 4 Competitive play has begun! Check out all the details, including our current competitive rules and #FNCS start date, if you're going to compete this season: https://t.co/9zINnw078f

— Fortnite Competitive (@FNCompetitive) September 8, 2020

Considered collusion

• Consistently working together with the same opponent. This includes fighting together or working together against a 3rd player or 3rd team who encroaches on a shared location or shared drop spot. Subnote: With this clarification now in place, we’re now taking a greater stand to action if conclusive evidence is found linking opponents to common goals together.
• Staged engagements among colluding teams to deceive event admins. As an example: Manipulating storm surge factors intentionally by trading damage with no intent of elimination.
• Pickaxe swinging (or other actions) used as a form of signaling to opponents.
• Sharing loot or leaving items with or for opponents for their gain.
• Intentionally feeding eliminations to another team.

Not considered collusion

• Consistently dropping in the same location each match.
• Announcing a drop spot on social media. Subnote: If you believe you're good enough to stake your claim publicly on a spot, be prepared to defend it. Players contesting your claim is part of the game, and should be encouraged.
• Choosing to not engage in combat at certain times.
• Coaching using the in-game replay tools.

Additionally, Fortnite reiterates their stance against using any type of 3rd party software that offers keyboard players controller aim assist. Restarting in any tournaments that you had a bad start in is also an infraction of the rules

Read the full blog post here

Community Response

AussieAntics took to the competitive Fortnite subreddit to offer his thoughts on Fortnite’s rule tightening:

Fortnite Competitive Update on "Collusion" and PERMANENT BANS without warning - Discussion from r/FortniteCompetitive

AussieAntics completely agrees with everything Fortnite lists as an act of collusion. The Dubs loot split and Bucke storm tag situations were flagrant violations of the aforementioned collusion rules and were properly dealt bans of varying length

Skipping to the bottom of the blog post, Aussie draws legitimate questions towards a portion labeled “Clout Farming.” “What kind of bans will these players receive? Will they be warnings or actual bans? Epic really hasn’t explained any of this to us,” Aussie asks

Aussie is referring to the new rule that restricts what competitive Fortnite players are allowed to post on social media. Any players using social media to stage cheating hoaxes will be punished. The move is quite unprecedented as this will be the first time Epic systematically punishes social media behaviour

Last season, some players who put “cheater” or “softaimer” in their Epic username were issued warnings and forced to change their IGN. Will Epic take it a step further this season in a last ditch effort to calm the doubts of competitive integrity?

Overall, I think it’s pretty humorous that a multibillion dollar corporation really used the word “clout” in what is supposed to be a very serious and, for a lot of people, sobering blog post. If this is how the boomers are trying to get around to us zoomers - it’s not working

In spite of my cringe-detector reading elevated levels, I seriously hope Epic can get a grip on the minority of players who don’t play by the rules and ruin everyone else’s experience

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