Fortnite Dev Explains Aim Assist Changes in v31.20 Update
A Fortnite developer has taken to Twitter to explain some of the changes that have been made to the game's aim assist as part of the latest update patch. In what is being considered a major nerf to the popular yet divisive feature, the latest version of aim assist intends to give Fortnite players that use controllers more "human-like" tracking.
Epic Games' immensely popular free-to-play title is currently in the midst of its fourth season in Chapter 5 for its flagship battle royale mode, which has seen the return of Marvel content in the form of various items, POIs, and characters. Roughly halfway through the superhero-themed season, Fortnite has rolled out its v31.20 update, bringing with it a wide variety of new and familiar additional Marvel content, as well as making the aforementioned significant change to how the game's aim assist functions.
Fortnite's v31.20 update, as described in the game's official website patch notes and elaborated on by developer Jibb Smart on Twitter, rolls out a refreshed aim assist intended to tamp down on the feature's "superhuman" level of help. While a bit of ironic verbiage given the current season's theme, the update is attempting to level the playing field between controller players and mouse-and-keyboard players. Smart explains the update isn't trying to make aim assist stronger or weaker, just more realistic. Earlier this year, players felt that a Fortnite update severely buffed aim assist, which this could be a response to.
Both Fortnite's patch notes and Smart mention that the aim assist update will likely be fine-tuned in the future based on player response, meaning players may need to adjust to the evolving functionality. While the aim assist revamp is certainly a major change, it was hardly the only one. The v31.20 patch adds the Day of Doom LTM, which splits players into the teams of Doom’s Henchmen or Avengers. The update also adds plenty of Iron Man weaponry in the form of the new Iron Man's Combat Kit, Iron Man's Flight Kit, and the returning Stark Industries Energy Rifle.
With a plethora of new Marvel content right in the middle of the season, Fortnite players have plenty of new things to discover and use. However, eagle-eyed fans may have already caught on to what's next for the ever-evolving game. Dataminers believe they've discovered an unexpected Fortnite horror crossover with Saw, the infamously gory horror film franchise. Likely for Fortnite's annual Fortnitemares Halloween event, a texture for the iconic Billy the Puppet has been found, demonstrating how Fortnite seems to be always well-prepared ahead of time for their next event.