'Fortnite' Removes Major Nintendo Switch Feature to Boost Performance, Fans Aren't Happy

Epic Games had noted previously that it was looking to tweak the performance of Fortnite on the Nintendo Switch, but a few fans were taken aback by them removing a key feature from the game to get that done.

The company recently posted on Reddit, explaining why they removed the video capture feature from the game on the Nintendo Switch. "You may have noticed we've disabled the Video Capture feature on Nintendo Switch as of the v5.40.2 client update. This was done for performance and stability reasons as we've been seeing a high rate of Out of Memory related crashes. Disabling this feature saves a significant amount of RAM while also having a positive effect on overall performance across the board," it said.

It made note of this in its recent patch detailing over on its web page, saying that the feature was disabled for "performance and stability reasons."

While it didn't note when (or if) it would be coming back, Epic did say, "We're considering the possibility of making this feature optional in the future for players who don't mind taking a hit on their performance."

That said, some fans have been feeling uneasy over the removal of the feature, saying it wasn't really necessary.

Some explained how the feature works, like SoloWaltz explaining, "Unlike cloud saves, where developers have to opt-out, Video Capture has to be opted in. Some forgotten older games don't have it, even if they're regularly updated (like Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2). The option to not use Video Capture is there for games that do need the extra power."

However, some just chose to express disappointment. TheBrokenMan said, "PLEASE BRING IT BACK. Make it an option for us. :( I enjoyed catching my crazy kills and sharing them with friends."

But dirt_mcgirt_00 had the most to say. "Probably one of my biggest Switch disappointments. On a hardware level, there should have been a dedicated chip/memory for video capture/sharing. I completely understand this would mean less battery life and more power consumption - but it could easily be a turn on/off feature. I believe they could have fit it on the board too.

Seems like a basic in 2018 and if it was dedicated hardware there would be 0 impact to actual in-game performance. Sad!"

We'll see what improves with the game in the future, but having it as an option would certainly be nice.

Fortnite is available now for Nintendo Switch, as well as Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and mobile devices.