Since its 2017 release, Fortnite has added an almost endless variety of skins, outfits, and cosmetics players can equip to personalize their characters. Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 6 introduced Lara Croft from Tomb Raider and even let users dress like Brazilian soccer-star Neymar Jr. Despite its countless customization options, professional players almost always jump into a game using a female character. This might seem like an odd coincidence with so many choices, but there's actually strategic reasoning behind their outfit selection.

Top-ranked Fortnite player Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf, and popular streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, are almost always seen playing the battle-royale with a female skin equipped. This has led many users to believe that female skins possess innate advantages, like smaller hitboxes, which would make them more difficult to hit. While some outfits might appear bulkier than others, every Fortnite skin is made up of the same hitbox, so equipping a massive helmet won't make players easier to headshot. Still, there's a slight edge to playing as a female character that pro gamers take advantage of in the highest level of play.

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Fortnite is a third-person shooter, which means character models always take up a portion of the screen from players' perspective. At top-level play, users must constantly be aware of enemy positioning to either defend themselves or mount an attack. Female Fortnite skins are marginally more slender on average than their male counterparts, which means they take up less space on the screen. This narrow difference in vision can make a difference in pro play, where a split-second could mean having enough time to build a wall or getting dropped by a headshot.

Fortnite: Why Pro Players Prefer Female Skins

Fornite Jonsey surprised

Pros have to take every edge available to them in competitive play when millions are on the line during Fortnite tournaments. Better vision will lead to improved reaction time and lower the chances of being caught off guard by a flanking assault or sniper ambush. The battle royale can already become visually cluttered because of the massive structures players build to gain a high-ground advantage over their opponents. Reducing screen jumble, even a little bit, can make it easier for gamers to defend themselves in dicey situations.

Female Fortnite skins are also harder to spot in the distance because of their marginally smaller build. That provides a crucial offensive advantage as well. Players using a male Fortnite skin will be spotted trying to peek around a corner a fraction of a second sooner than a female skin would be. These minor differences might not make a massive difference in casual play, but every pixel matters in competitive Fortnite.

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