Epic Games cancels Fortnite OCE and ASIA Reload tournaments due to bots

Epic Games has cancelled the Fortnite Reload Performance Evaluation Cup in OCE and ASIA due to a bug that causes bots to fill up lobbies.

The bug’s sudden appearance has thrown a wrench into the works, disrupting Epic Games’ plans as it once again test the waters on Fortnite Reload’s competitive scene.

The announcement was made on X by the official Fortnite Status account on April 9th, 2025.

In the tweet, Epic Games said: “We are cancelling today’s OCE and ASIA Reload Performance Evaluation cups while we work to resolve an issue with non-player Bot opponents filling into the match.”

So far, only OCE and ASIA have been affected, but if this issue is not resolved, we may see similar instances occurring for upcoming EU and NA cups. It is also currently unknown if the tournaments that were cancelled will be rescheduled.

Fortnite Reload is a fast-paced twist on the traditional battle royale experience. Matches consist of 40 players divided into squads, instead of the typical 100, on a much smaller map.

Its signature feature is the reboot mechanic, which allows eliminated teams to respawn as long as a member of their squad is alive. However, this mechanic is disabled near the end of matches.

The Fortnite Reload Performance Evaluation Cup is an in-game event hosted by Epic Games. Unlike FNCS 2025 tournaments, it’s nowhere near as grand or as competitive, and offers a much smaller prize pool by comparison. It’s primarily designed to monitor game performance and tournament systems during competitive matches for potential future improvements.

The data collected would be used to improve future in-game events, potential esports scenes for modes such as Fortnite Ballistic, and other tournaments such as FNCS Pro-Am 2025.

These are held across multiple sessions, with the latest tournaments featuring four matches Throughout the tournament, teams earn points based on placements and the number of eliminations earned. Top teams progress to further rounds, before the best four teams earn $800 each.

It’s not the first time Epic Games has encountered issues with the Fortnite Performance Evaluation Cup. For example, a previous tournament was shut down on November 4, 2024, after players reported multiple maps merging.