Fortnite won't #RemoveTheMech, and now Epic has explained its reasoning Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Fortnite won't #RemoveTheMech, and now Epic has explained its reasoning Bot why? News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Updated on 16 Aug 2019 40 comments Since the start of Fortnite's 10th season, conversation around the game has been dominated by one thing: its horrible hulking death robots. Epic has tweaked the mech's design to add in a warning laser and drastically nerf the spawn rate in competitive playlists. But for the vast majority of the playerbase, the B.R.U.T.E. is clearly still a problem: evidenced by #RemoveTheMech trending worldwide on Twitter last weekend. Now, Epic has laid out why it has not removed the mech, and why it thinks the bastard bot is fine to stick around. (For now at least - nothing in Fortnite is permanent.) In short, mechs have given new and less experienced players a bigger chance of getting kills, Epic says, without impacting the overall kill count of pros. "The mission of Fortnite is to bring players of all skill levels together to have a fun experience where anyone can win," the developer wrote in a new blog post. "For example - everyone having a shot at that first elimination or Victory Royale moment and the satisfying feeling that comes with it. Right now, we know there are players out there who have never had that opportunity. "We have seen players who had previously struggled with getting eliminations acquiring more, while the number of eliminations earned by more experienced players remained steady." Epic provided graphs showing the average number of mech kills per game (fewer than seven across all modes) and explained its nerf to spawns in competitive playlists was because a greater percentage of players in those matches survive into later stages. "We're happy with the results," Epic said of its competitive playlist nerf, "and the below graphs represent the current state of B.R.U.T.E. eliminations across both Arena and core modes." Which is all fine, except it doesn't change the fact that many players simply do not enjoy the mechs. And I wonder about some of those numbers. In games I've played, I've seen the online memes played out where players actively hunt down mechs to destroy them before they can be used. Alternatively, they're simply left, ignored because no one wants to be the player using them. As Fortnite's big ticket addition this season, regardless of their strength in matches, it's hard to shake the feeling they are a disappointment. And that, unlike their over-powered laser missiles, they have absolutely missed the mark. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store