Fortnite Cheater Removed From World Cup

Fans at this year's Fortnite World Cup got to see something that doesn't happen very often; a competitor being removed from the tournament for blatantly cheating while playing.

Russian pro Mark "Letw1k3" Danilov was sent packing by tournament officials, according to Polygon, after he appeared to glance several times at spectator monitors in the tournament arena. These monitors are used to give fans in the stands a closer look at how various players are doing, but can also offer an advantage to other players who happen to take a peek. In that sense, it's not unlike screen cheating in the split-screen multiplayer games of old. Looking at another player's screen can offer clues as to where they're located, and can make the job of hunting them down and eliminating them that much easier.

A representative for Epic Games confirmed the removal, stating that Danilov was warned a few times about his screen cheating.

"After multiple warnings to the player, a penalty was assessed and he was removed from the match," the representative told Polygon. "He was not disqualified and will not be fined."

That last part is key. Because Danilov was not disqualified from the World Cup, he still remained eligible for any prize money he might have earned. For participating in the match itself, Danilov took home at least $50,000.

Danilov's removal didn't come without a bit of controversy, however. He reportedly said in an interview after the tournament that he wasn't cheating, but was instead looking around because he'd heard a loud noise in the arena. And that led some of his fans to protest the removal, which ultimately cost Danilov the opportunity to place higher and earn additional prize money.

But it appears that, for now, that movement is going nowhere. Danilov isn't barred from the competitive scene, which means he can still compete in other Fortnite tournaments, as well as in next year's World Cup. So he might have to make up those lost winnings by starting over again in the 2019-2020 competitive season. We'll let you know how it goes.