The second I booted up Fortnite: Battle Royale today to try out the new Infinity Gauntlet mode, I resigned myself to the fact that I would never get the chance to play as Thanos, because other players would use the mad Titan’s powers to destroy me. Well, I’m happy to tell you that I was wrong: The reason I didn’t get to play as the Avengers: Infinity War villain is because I keep getting shot in the back by non-Thanos players instead.
Epic Games launched its Marvel crossover event today, May 8, in which 100 players drop onto the island just like the standard battle royale mode. The difference is that early in the match a meteorite slams into the Earth and delivers the mode’s titular Infinity Gauntlet. Whoever gets that armored glove turns into Thanos with massive amounts of armor and health. You also have special punching and energy blast attacks as well as a super jump that enables you to zoom across the map. But you can die and drop the gauntlet, and then whoever picks it up next gets to wear Thanos like a sleeve.
To ensure that everyone gets to at least interact with Thanos, the game puts him on the map and uses positional audio to give you an idea of which direction he’s in at all times. This results in everyone on the island running to the exact same position at the same time, which means that you are bound to run into multiple players on your way to find the powerful Marvel supervillain. For me, that meant I always had someone running up behind me. I had some hope that people would want to work together to take down Thanos, but that is not what happens.
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Obviously, you can think of some strategies to circumvent these challenges. You can keep rushing the center of the circle, which is where the gauntlet lands. Eventually, I’m sure you will get the weapon. Alternatively, you can stay to the outside of the circle and away from the action until fewer players remain. Once you’re get the gauntlet, you can then move in on Thanos and the other players for a better chance to come out on top. I might give that all a shot, but I think the biggest hurdle to me getting the Gauntlet is time. I’ll just need to throw myself at the mode until I brute force my way into getting to play as Thanos.
But Epic has already heard the feedback that the Gauntlet is hard to get.
We've heard your feedback and we're looking to make a few tweaks to give more players the chance to wield the Infinity Gauntlet in the new Limited Time Mash-Up!
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) May 8, 2018
The developer has already made some changes to the mode. Thanos is now easier to kill. Where he once had 300 shield and 700 health, he’ll now have 200 shield and 800 health. That should make it more likely that a sustained attack can take him out. Epic has also nerfed Thanos’s laser damage from 15 down to 12.
Now, if they could just buff my back muscles to deflect bullets, I’ll be good.
