The build towards Fortnite’s Secret Skirmish event has not been wholly positive.
While the tournament is set to be one of the year’s biggest, featuring a $500,000 prize pool and a long list of top pro players competing, a pair of controversial rules enacted by Epic have competitors grumbling in the days leading up to the event.
“The idea of traveling for two days for a forced peripheral LAN is not that fun,” said Team Liquid’s Ryan “Chap” Chaplo.Â
Just three days before the event, Epic announced that players participating at the Secret Skirmish were required to use one of four preset screen resolutions in the tournament. The sudden change was a massive inconvenience for some pros given the popularity of stretched resolutions that are not supported in the game’s client but can be achieved through other means.
The problem was eventually resolved with Epic stating that tournament officials had found a workaround to allow for the use of any resolution, but that didn’t solve all of the tournament’s ills. While players will be able to use any resolution they like, they won’t be so lucky when it comes to what hardware they use.
At the Secret Skirmish, players will be forced to use the Logitech G Pro keyboard and one of four Logitech mouses. This is a tough blow for any pro that uses an unapproved mouse outside of the competition. It’s especially difficult given the lack of advanced notice. It’s not known whether these rules are in place due to concerns of logistics and hardware, or if its a branding preference on the part of developer Epic Games.
Despite the controversies, the Secret Skirmish is still set to be an exciting event with high stakes. A who’s who of top Fortnite earners, including Dennis “Cloak” Lepore, Turner “Tfue” Tenney, and Thomas “72hrs” Mulligan, are set to compete.
The main event of the tournament will be a six-game solos series with a $400,000 prize pool on February 14, followed by a $75,000 duos tournament on February 15. Both days will also include a special mystery event with a $25,000 prize pool.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
