Place 5 – Lightsabers
What is it? The lightsabers came with Chapter 2, Season 1 as part of a Star Wars crossover. There were 4 versions of the weapon, including Kylo Ren’s sword.
Why was it so annoying: At first, many players found the lightsabers cool. But quickly the problematic aspects of them revealed themselves. Because the lightsabers had an outrageously wide attack zone. You could swing them around recklessly and take out everything in front of you.
They could also easily smash through buildings, and after 2 hits, most opponents were finished. The lightsabers were difficult to counter and became a mini version of the hated Infinity Blade (see place 2 on our list).
What happened to it? The swords were removed from the game with Patch 12.0.
Place 4 – Baller
What is it? The Baller was a notorious vehicle that first appeared in Season 8. It was a type of hamster ball that allowed for fast rolling and even made long jumps with a grappling hook.
Why was it so annoying: At first, most players found the Ballers funny and used them for silly stunts. But soon the ugly side of the device revealed itself. In tournaments, these things dominated the last phase, where almost everyone was rolling around in one and trying to shove themselves into the storm.
Additionally, many pros used the Baller to roll around safely while opponents knocked each other out. That was neither exciting nor the intended use of the Ballers.
What happened to it? Epic likely saw the problem with the Baller and after some adjustments, the annoying Baller was finally removed from the game with Patch 10.0.
Place 3 – Plane
What is it? The X-4 Stormwing was introduced in Season 7 and was a biplane equipped with a machine gun and a boost function.
Why was it so annoying: The plane quickly became the bane of players because it had a particularly annoying property: You could fly through any structure in a flash with the boost, completely destroying it.
This was especially frustrating at the end of the round. Many players used the plane to break through cover and ram opponents. They would then be sent flying away, usually into the storm, where they would helplessly perish.
What happened to it? After many protests, the plane was removed from the game with Patch 8. It is, alongside the Mech, the most controversial vehicle in the game’s history.
Place 2 – Infinity Blade
What is it? This sword was found in every match at the Ice King’s Castle in Season 7. It offered an instant 200 health and shield, a regeneration ability, healing on successful hits, and 30 percent increased speed. Additionally, it dealt massive damage. The only downside was that you could not build while holding the sword.
Why was it so annoying: Players still wonder today what the hell Epic was thinking when they decided to bring this weapon into regular play. The weapon was extremely OP and it was nearly unstoppable once you had the blade. Neither building nor distance helped against the sword.
And then the stupid thing was always found in the same location. This completely ruined the game balance, as almost everyone tried to get the sword first. This also meant that many players died early and the rest of the game became quite boring.
What happened to it? Epic quickly realized what they had done with the sword and removed it from the game shortly thereafter. Since then, the blade has only been available in creative mode.
Place 1 – Mech
What is it? The battle mech known as “B.I.E.S.T.” was quickly just referred to as the Mech. The device accommodated 2 players, one was the pilot and the other was the onboard shooter. The mechs had a powerful rocket launcher and a machine gun. They could also jump and had a strong shield.
Why was it so annoying: As cool as the mechs initially looked, they became so hated by fans after a while. To this day, the mechs are considered one of the worst additions to Fortnite.
This is because Epic clearly designed the mech so that even noobs had a chance at winning the game. The result was an extremely powerful, unfair vehicle that allowed even experts to be taken out by beginners.
What happened to it? Epic wanted to keep the mech in the game because it was an integral part and highlight of Season 10. But in the end, nerfs and tweaks did not help. The mech had to go.
In order to still play its role in the season story, there suddenly appeared a virus that infected the mechs. They exploded on their own at the beginning of each round from Patch 10.4. Since then, the mechs have fortunately never appeared in the game again.
