The new Fortnite Spider-Man skin emote is pay-to-win, according to some players who claim the item has unfair mechanics. Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 officially began on December 5, bringing a plethora of new features, skins, and items to the game. And while Chapter 3 introduced a brand new map, an expansion on Fortnite lore, and Dwane “The Rock” Johnson as the Foundation, arguably one of the most exciting additions was the Spider-Man skin unlockable through the Battle Pass.
In preparation for Marvel’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, Fortnite dropped three Spider-Man skins, including a traditional Spider-Man costume, a Symbiote Spider-Man, and a Future Foundation Spider-Man. Along with the skins, Chapter 3 Season 1 also introduced the swinging mechanic, which allows players to sling webs using Web-Shooters, adding a new way to traverse the island. Fortnite’s web-slinging mechanic has even been said to be better than the Spider-Man animations and movement in Crystal Dynamic’s Marvel’s Avengers, which was recently expanded with the Spider-Man DLC. Fortnite also included new emotes to go along with the Spider-Man skin, including one emote that some fans think provides an unfair advantage.
According to Fortnite TikToker nickeh30 (via Dexerto), Fortnite’s Spider-Man emote is pay-to-win. The TikToker demonstrated that the Neighborly Hang emote allows players to hide from enemies, utilizing web-slinging to turn the character upside down, obscuring them from view. Nickeh30 used the trick to retreat from an unsuspecting enemy, eventually getting the drop on them and securing the kill.
Watch the original video on TikTok here.
Since Fortnite’s Spider-Man skin emote is a paid cosmetic and offers a unique advantage, it’s understandable that some players are upset. And this isn’t the first time Fortnite skins were deemed pay-to-win either. The customizable superhero Fortnite skins, as well as the Lt. Evergreen, Nutcracker, and Snowmando skin (via the Mystique skin) were all considered to be pay-to-win when they were released because of the unique camouflage ability they offered their owners. Players could equip the skins to hide in plain sight, avoiding enemies just like the Spider-Man skin’s emote. Pay-to-win is extremely taboo in the gaming industry, but it’s not yet clear how Epic Games will address Neighborly Hang’s abusable mechanic, or whether it will at all.
Fortnite’s new season was extremely popular when it launched earlier this week, with Epic Games confirming that Fortnite Chapter 3 servers saw massive player counts, more than any other season start. The community overall seems happy with the laundry list of new features added to the game, such as the new locations and weather conditions. Despite the positive consensus, players are not happy with the Spider-Man skin’s pay-to-win emote. And until Epic addresses the issue, some players will have to activate their spider senses to avoid being exploited by opponents abusing the Neighborly Hang mechanic.
Fortnite is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: nickeh30/TikTok (via Dexerto)
