YouTuber Faze Jarvis, famous for playing the popular battle royale video game Fortnite, has been banned for using the aimbot cheating tool. Gamers can use a variety of mods and cheat tools to enhance (or disrupt) the gaming experience, and game makers are well within their rights to ban players from their platform. And with the recent release of Fortnite Chapter 2, Epic Games may be especially sensitive to public accusations of cheating.
In recent years, Epic Games' Fortnite has become one of the most popular video games in the world. Millions of players all over the globe compete in the battle royale game. However, it is also a popular eSports game, where the world's top players compete for millions of dollars in prize money. At the 2019 Fortnite World Cup, professional players competed for a $100 million prize pool.
Polygon reports that Jarvis was permanently banned from the popular game Fortnite for his very public use of an aimbot cheating technology. Jarvis, who has close to two million subscribers on YouTube, specifically used this tool-assist in the game's non-competitive modes and posted videos of it to his channel, where he openly admitted to using this software. Though this was done for entertainment purposes, Epic Games still handed down a permanent ban for his use of aimbots. Fortnite's end user license agreement strictly forbids the use of software such as "cheats, bots, scripts or mods not expressly authorized by Epic". The rules warn players that any unauthorized third-party technology that gives them an advantage can result in punishment. An Epic Games spokesperson reinforced this policy, telling Polygon, "We have a zero tolerance policy for the usage of cheat software.” The company also added, “When people use aimbots or other cheat technologies to gain an unfair advantage, they ruin games for people who are playing fairly.”
"It's genuinely insane how big of an impact this game has had on my life and I wouldn't be here without this game," said Jarvis in a tearful apology video. He also added, "It's obvious that I made a massive mistake and I would never think about doing anything like this again." Despite the majority of his content being tied to Fortnite, the YouTuber did say that he will continue producing content on his channel.
Epic Games' swift and indefinite ban could also be related to the fact that Jarvis broke multiple rules when using the aimbot. Not only did the YouTuber use this software against people who did not use the same methods, he also unintendedly contributed to promoting said program. This makes it a bit different to the case of professional Fortnite player XXiF, who received a temporary ban for cheating but was still able to compete in the Fortnite World Cup. Jarvis' supporters are pointing to the disparate penalties that Jarvis and XXiF received, which they say represent a wildly inconsistent enforcement of the rules. Like XXiF, Jarvis is associated with competitive eSports association Faze Clan, which competes in various multiplayer-focused tournaments. For these and other professional Fortnite players, the battle-royal game represents a major financial opportunity, which is what makes an indefinite ban such a harsh penalty.
Of course, because Fortnite is such a lucrative eSports game, Epic Games also has a strong interest in protecting their game's integrity from cheating technology. This isn't the only instance of Epic Games cracking down against people who have seemingly damaged the image of its game. The company is suing a former beta tester for leaking Fortnite Chapter 2 a month ahead of its release. This new version of the game introduces new mechanics, such as swimming and fishing, along with more weapons, vehicles, and a new map. With so much at stake, players should expect Epic Games to react strongly whenever someone threatens the game's reputation.
Source: Polygon