Epic Games has pulled the plug on the Fortnite Reload Performance Evaluation Cup in Asia and Oceania—after discovering a bug that filled matches with AI-controlled bots instead of real players.
The announcement came on April 9 via Fortnite’s official status account on X (formerly Twitter). “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,” the company wrote.
Fortnite Reload provides a faster-paced alternative to the standard battle royale experience. Games feature just 40 players (compared to the usual 100) organized into squads. Matches take place on smaller maps, creating more frequent encounters between teams.
While the Performance Evaluation Cup isn’t a major competitive event like the FNCS 2025 or the FNCS Pro-Am, it serves an important purpose: stress-testing new modes and gathering data. These tournaments give Epic a chance to fine-tune gameplay mechanics and evaluate esports potential for formats like Fortnite Reload or Ballistic.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the Evaluation Cup has run into trouble. Back in November 2024, another event was shut down mid-session after a bizarre glitch caused multiple maps to merge, completely breaking gameplay.
This latest hiccup is particularly frustrating for players in Asia and Oceania, as Epic has been trying to establish Reload as a serious competitive mode. According to Insider Gaming, the company is testing whether this faster-paced variant can open new doors for Fortnite esports—especially as it experiments with smaller-scale formats.
For now, affected players will have to sit tight while Epic fixes the issue. No word yet on when the tournaments will be rescheduled.
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