Inside the mind of a Fortnite "sweat": What qualifies players to become one and the responsibility that comes with it

Sweating it out in Fortnite (Image via Sportskeeda)
Sweating it out in Fortnite (Image via Sportskeeda)

Fortnite is not a simple game, period. Players looking for a quick hack and slash, looter, and shooter title, should not be coming to Fortnite and expect to play via those rules.

Unlike other Battle Royales, where the object is to strategize, loot gear, and survive till the end, Fortnite introduced an entirely new set of dynamics by allowing players to build horizontally and vertically.

Outgunning opponents with a stronger weapon is not a guaranteed way to win in Fortnite, especially when the latter are not just casual players looking to have some fun but, in fact, sweats.

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What qualifies players to become a "sweat" in Fortnite?

Sweats are just like other players, starting at the bottom with zero skill and rising to the top. They push players by building complex structures at outrageous speeds, implementing builds that most others only see in professional matches. Before it has even dawned on most gamers, it's game over.

The term “sweat” has been used at large by Fortnite streamers to talk about players who use complex strategies to take down opposing players, even when the opponents are hardly a threat.

“Sweat” literally means that after a fight, the player was trying so hard to be flashy that he/she is now literally sweating.

Most sweats don't care who the opponent is, be it a seasoned professional or casual gamer. Complex strategies are implemented all the same, and skills are shown off to the max.


Sweats to exercise responsibility?

However, it needs to be kept in mind that at all levels, Fortnite is competitive. There are bad players, average players, sweats, and finally, the professionals.

While being over competitive even towards beginners may seem harsh, at the end of the day, the title's objective is to survive till the end at all costs.

Streamers have time and again stressed how sweats have hours to practice compared to the average players and how that's unfair to the community. However, that cannot be used to justify the hatred towards swears.

A Reddit user, u/SwarlesBarkley3, stated:

"I've been hearing streamers calling out more and more people in-game for being sweaty. It seems like anytime someone effectively counters their building, they are considered sweaty. It's kind of getting annoying because instead of giving credit for being a good player/builder, they are just sweaty."

By all accounts, sweats are not professional players. They are just better than the average player due to consistent and long hours of practice. Calling sweats out for so-called "toxic behavior" doesn't make sense unless hacks are used.

While streamers and a large portion of the community stress how sweats are a problem to newbies and beginners, seldom do casual players or non-sweaty players spare beginners in-game. So the entire premise of sweats being a problem to learners just doesn't make much sense.

An unknown Reddit user wrote:

"I personally just see it as a way to insult/mock players who are actually trying (which is ironic because anyone who uses the word "sweaty" is almost inevitably also trying hard). Kinda the same as the word tryhard with all of the negative connotations. I feel like streamers also sometimes use it to deflect responsibility away from themselves when they die to someone better than them. Like, 'Oh, it wasn't my fault that I died because that person was sweaty and I wasn't even trying.'"

While the debate rages on, sweats do have some responsibility to uphold within the game. While showing skillsets and strategizing in real-time is genuinely impressive, they need to dial it back a bit during engagements with Fortnite learners.

Note: This article reflects the writer's views.

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