Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 4 has only just begun, but one issue is already frustrating parts of the community. Players are reporting unusually high numbers of bots in Battle Royale matches, with some claiming that certain 100-player lobbies contain only around 25 actual players.
The complaints arrive alongside the launch of Override, Fortnite’s new video game-themed season. While Chapter 7 Season 4 has introduced major collaborations, new weapons, and fresh gameplay mechanics, bot-heavy matchmaking is making some players less enthusiastic about jumping into matches.
Fortnite Players Report Bot-Heavy Season 4 Lobbies
Fortnite player Au5la highlighted the apparent increase in bots by sharing matchmaking statistics on X.
According to the data, statistics collected through a Discord bot during previous Fortnite seasons generally showed approximately 58 to 65 real players per match. Similar tracking since the beginning of Chapter 7 Season 4 has reportedly produced significantly lower numbers.
Some matches have been recorded with as few as 25 real players in a 100-player lobby, meaning bots could potentially account for roughly three-quarters of the participants.
The numbers have fueled complaints from players who feel that matches are becoming too predictable. Some say they spend much of the early and middle portions of a game encountering bots before finally fighting other players near the end.
Why Fortnite Players Don’t Like Fighting Bots
Bots aren’t new to Fortnite, but their presence has remained controversial among parts of the community.
AI-controlled opponents can make matches more accessible, particularly for inexperienced players. However, critics argue that fighting bots doesn’t provide the same challenge or unpredictability as facing another person.
That difference becomes particularly noticeable when bots make up a substantial percentage of a lobby. Players can rack up eliminations against relatively weak opponents only to suddenly encounter much more capable human players during the final circles.
Some fans also believe bot-heavy matches can make it harder for newcomers to improve. Fighting AI opponents doesn’t necessarily teach the same movement, building, positioning, or combat habits required against experienced players.
The complaints have therefore renewed criticism of Fortnite’s skill-based matchmaking. Rather than increasing the number of bots in certain skill brackets, some players would prefer Epic Games to adjust how human players are matched against one another.
Chapter 7 Season 4 Has Plenty of New Content
The bot controversy comes during an otherwise content-heavy start for Chapter 7 Season 4.
The Override season revolves around video game crossovers, bringing several recognizable gaming franchises into Fortnite. Sonic the Hedgehog, Tetris, and Pac-Man are among the properties represented at launch.
New crossover weapons and items include the Midas Masterpiece and Mega Buster, while additional equipment is planned for later in the season. The Kingdom Key from Kingdom Hearts and Rebecca’s Guns from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners are among the upcoming additions.
Epic Games has also introduced gameplay mechanics inspired directly by its crossover partners.
The Tetris Rift creates Tetris-style blocks that can provide temporary cover before eventually delivering an area-of-effect heal. Meanwhile, Sonic’s iconic Rings can be collected around the Green Hill Zone POI to provide Overshield. Taking enemy damage causes players to lose their bonus Overshield and collected Rings.
More Fortnite Collaborations Appear to Be Coming
Override’s crossover lineup is expected to continue expanding as Chapter 7 Season 4 progresses.
Players have already discovered an unfinished building on the map that closely resembles Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, fueling speculation that a Five Nights at Freddy’s collaboration could be on the way.
A Persona 5 crossover is also expected in September. Joker is reportedly set to receive a Fortnite skin, while Ryuji and Ann have also been rumored as possible additions.
That leaves Epic Games with plenty of new content to keep players interested throughout the season. However, for those frustrated by bot-heavy matchmaking, the quality of the Battle Royale experience itself remains the bigger concern.
Epic Games has not announced a major matchmaking change in response to the latest complaints. With some community-tracked matches reportedly containing far fewer human players than previous seasons, Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 4’s bot population could remain a major talking point unless matchmaking is adjusted.
