Quentyn K. August 15, 2019
Add another tally to Fortnite’s total of headaches induced by the B.R.U.T.E mech. Players have found that you and each member of your squad can earn a full stack of 999 bricks without breaking a sweat, and it’s all because of the controversial new mech.
Hop into the B.R.U.T.E. and perform a stomp in front of a stone structure at Okyt’s Block. Doing so will instantly grant you and your passenger the goods, plus more for any squadmates on the ground.
Some are hesitant to call it a glitch due to the way Epic Games created the blocks in question. They combined a bunch of high-yield assets in a small space, so the extras come from all of these pieces crumbling simultaneously.
Theoretically, you could get just as many materials by hand, but it would be over a much longer period of time. The B.R.U.T.E. makes it instantaneous, and that’s precisely the issue: gathering is an element of Fortnite that requires map and clock awareness, as the threat of the storm circle limits the time required to amass a fortune.
The availability of materials for a full squad of four concentrated in the same area also eliminates resource scarcity, another factor that forces you to spend time farming. This means you get more time to kill those who have to run around and get their materials and loot the hard way.
Whether you label this a glitch or an exploit, Epic will need to consider addressing it alongside other problem areas for the B.R.U.T.E.
The weaponized mech robot has incited a wave of negative feedback from players, streamers, and pros. It can shoot a massive volley of rockets capable of killing even the most shielded of enemies in one blow.
Epic’s goal with the B.R.U.T.E. was to give players another way to combat master builders, as the company knows not everyone can deploy makeshift skyscrapers in mere seconds. The cause may be noble, but there’s a widespread feeling that winning a game of Fortnite has become more of a crapshoot than a test of skill.
The B.R.U.T.E. is supposed to make Fortnite more fun for more people, but pros have threatened to quit the game, and even casual fans have already bemoaned its existence. Epic was slow to respond, but the complaints grew so loud that it forced them to test new spawn rates and add a decidedly minor counterplay measure in the form of visualized laser targeting.
Epic’s unwillingness to adjust its mechanics, or to simply remove it from the game altogether, suggests the B.R.U.T.E. is here to stay. And that may be fine, but the developer has to approach game balance more seriously to ensure the long-term health of Fortnite.