Epic Games have announced that major changes are coming to matchmaking in Fortnite on console platforms.
Players who use a mouse and keyboard on console will now be matched up against others who use the same peripherals in-game.
Epic broke down this new ‘input-based matchmaking’ system in the recently released August issue of their ‘State of Development’ online post.
Input-Based MatchmakingWe have an upgrade to our matchmaking logic that will allow for a more even playing field when enjoying Fortnite with your input device of choice. In an upcoming release we’ll be implementing input based matchmaking, which will pair you against players who are using the same peripherals (e.g. controller vs controller, KB+M vs KB+M).
Let’s break that down:
– If anyone in your party uses a mouse and keyboard on console, you will be matchmade with PC players and other KB+M players (as if you partied up with a PC player).
Essentially, this establishes a system that will use cross-platform servers that are currently in place to ensure that players who match up against each other are using similar peripherals.
The post does specify that cross-play rules would still trump over this new matchmaking, as having a PC player in any party will automatically designate it to a cross-platform server.
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The current crossplay rules still apply. For example, partying up with a PC player will always put you in a PC pool, regardless of your input type.
Although this news had been hinted at in the past, this is the first time that Epic have really gotten into detail about it.
According to the post, this new matchmaking system will be implemented in an upcoming update, although a more specific time-frame is not provided.
These changes represent a major change in philosophy from Epic Games, who had previously been staunch in allowing players to use mouse and keyboard freely on console.
However, with many in community deeming the current system unfair for those who use a controller, it appears that the developers have prioritized community feedback over their own vision once again.