At this point, it's commonplace for Fortnite to have bugs in the game. With Epic Games constantly releasing new content, it's no surprise that some glitches slip through the cracks and make their way into the game. Recently, a glitch was found that allowed players to teleport when jumping from a boat, now it appears a similar exploit can be achieved using the new sand tunneling feature. While not the first teleporting glitch in Fortnite, it has caused sand tunneling to be temporarily disabled.
Essentially, Fortnite players were able to use the sand tunneling feature to teleport to the top of whatever building is above them. First discovered by YouTuber Glitch King and then reported by Charlie Intel, players could perform the glitch using a gas can, sinking into the sand, and then ramming the gas can. With the right timing, players instantly teleported on top of any structures above them, giving them the high ground and getting them out of danger. Glitches with instant effects can be incredibly damaging to a playing experience.
This is the second time Epic Games has disabled sand tunneling due to a glitch. Earlier in the season tunneling could be exploited to turn players invisible and give them god-mode, and Epic disabled the feature due to unfair advantages for some players. With sand tunneling currently disabled, it appears Epic is taking the same approach now as they have with previous exploits with a temporary disable and investigation.
While some glitches such as Fortnite cars flying are harmless or even funny, exploits like this one can give players unfair advantages. For casual players, the exploit could be frustrating but rather harmless with nothing on the line. In a competitive environment, however, players could abuse the exploit over and over to gain an advantage over others. With so much money on the line, exploits like this are a major concern for Epic Games and the legitimacy of their tournaments.
Epic Games responded to the exploit by quickly disabling the sand tunneling feature in order to investigate the cause. Thanks to a quick response, the exploit shouldn't be able to cause too much damage. While Epic is still pushing out new Fortnite content for the holidays, players should expect this exploit to be patched out of the game rather quickly. They plan to bring back the sand tunneling feature once the issues have been resolved.
Fortnite is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X
Source: Charlie Intel