Fortnite's no-aim-required lock-on assault rifle is an all-time stinker, and I hope Epic vaults it into oblivion

Fortnite’s no-aim-required lock-on assault rifle is an all-time stinker, and I hope Epic vaults it into oblivion | PC Gamer Skip to main content Open menu Close main menu PC Gamer THE GLOBAL AUTHORITY ON PC GAMES US Edition UK US Canada Australia Subscribe Sign in View Profile Sign out Search Search PC Gamer Games Hardware News Reviews Guides Video Forum More PC Gaming Show PC Gamer Clips Software Codes Coupons Movies & TV Magazine Newsletter Affiliate links Meet the team Community guidelines About PC Gamer PC Gamer Magazine SubscriptionWhy subscribe?Subscribe to the world’s #1 PC gaming magTry a single issue or save on a subscriptionIssues delivered straight to your door or device From$1Subscribe now Don’t miss these Third Person Shooter Embark explains why it jacked up the cost of crafting Wolfpacks in Arc Raiders, concedes some players aren’t happy about it FPS If you’re hoping to make friends in Marathon like you can in Arc Raiders, expect a knife in the back Third Person Shooter The latest Arc Raiders patch makes Rocketeers way more important Third Person Shooter Embark admits Arc Raiders’ bosses are dying too fast because ‘they’re not intended for the full server to go up against’ and ‘we gave players too effective abilities’ Third Person Shooter Congrats, you played yourself, Arc Raiders’ machines aren’t actually learning: ‘That’s just the way we author them’ Third Person Shooter Arc Raiders’ latest weapon changes are a well-aimed nerf at free loadouters, and the Il Toro is thankfully next on the chopping block FPS Is Marathon’s time-to-kill too fast, or am I too Arc Raiders-pilled? 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From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we’ve got you covered. Signup + Once a month SFX Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month! Signup + An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Fortnite is hard when your crosshair sways like a drunk sailor on rough seas. Victory royales are rare. Every lobby has one or two players who could’ve turned pro, probably, definitely, judging by the way they land headshots and judge their shockwave jumps. Just making the final five is an achievement.But that challenge means winning is a joy. I’ve been playing since launch and my heart still pounds in the final zone—earning a victory crown leaves me on a high for a good hour knowing that I, somehow, have outplayed 99 other people (well, perhaps 49 other people, and 50 bots).So how much easier would it be if you didn’t have to aim? Related articles I’m tired of running the same Fortnite loadout—both SMGs and snipers need a major buff After a massive shake-up of Fortnite’s loot pool, what’s the best weapon and loadout? Shockwaves, we miss you. Please come back to Fortnite That’s the question posed by the Lock On assault rifle, a weapon added in Chapter 7 that commits the dual sins of feeling weak when you use it and annoying when you fight against it.As the name suggests, if you aim in the vague direction of an enemy it locks onto them. It happens in four stages, four pips around your crosshair, each representing a three-round burst of the rifle: if you pull the trigger after stage two, you’ll hit them with two bursts but if you wait for the full lock on, you’ll land four. It isn’t overpowered. It deals just 10 damage per bullet at its base rarity so if you fully lock on you’ll deal 120 damage. By that point your enemy knows where you are and can evade, build, or hide behind cover before you have time to charge it up again.I still think it’s bad game design.The biggest gaming news