The Godfather of Fortnite is back.
Retirement clearly didn’t suit multiple-time Fortnite Battle Royale Champion Williams “Zayt” Aubin. The NRG Esports member dropped some shocking news on the community only three weeks ago. Citing lack of motivation and offline events, the Canada-born competitor announced that he would step away from the game he grew from within in favor of a coaching, mentor and analyst role. He found instant success, streaming watch parties for Elite Scrims, which feature North America’s best players. As he watched, it didn’t take long for Zayt to realize just how good he had it as one of Fortnite’s best players.
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Zayt is Back
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After closely watching top trios and briefly competing alongside organizational teammate Benjy “benjyfishy” Fish, Zayt decided enough was enough. He took to Twitter, reflecting upon his short-lived retirement. “If I didn't play dreamhack with Benjy I probably wouldn't be saying that but, I really miss competing already. The only reasons I would want to stream would be to get enough money for the rest of my life,” he said.
It appears the safer approach didn’t mesh well with the competitive Fortnite veteran. He continued, “I am at a point where I would regret not competing and wasting my gift for the game. With that said, yes I am coming back, sorry for everyone that I affected negatively.”
Not many people will disagree with Zayt’s choice. He has placed well in nearly every major Fortnite Battle Royale tournament, including the $30M USD World Cup, where he and long-time duo partner Rocco “Saf” Morales claimed fourth place. The following year, Zayt and Saf returned to the top again after winning FNCS Chapter 2 - Season 2. Outside of financial security, it made no sense for someone with so much talent to step away. His decision will throw a wrench into the solidified NA East trio teams, however.
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Trio Shakeup
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Fortnite World Cup Champion Kyle “Bugha'' Giersdorf suffered the most with Zayt’s return. Bugha replaced Zayt and became teammates with Saf and Team Liquid player Stretch for this season’s Fortnite Champion Series. Unfortunately, Bugha confirmed that the now previously retired Zayt will slot back in with his former trio. With so few options, Bugha will have some searching to do, especially considering that FNCS Chapter 2 - Season 5 begins next week. There’s no telling what could happen as other trios might look to clear room for Bugha, who remains at the top of his game.
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The Legacy Continues
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Like most of the community, no one expected Zayt’s quick change of heart. Now, the NRG Esports competitor has a chance to further solidify himself as one of, if not the best Fortnite players in history. This season’s meta suits him particularly well since Epic recently removed Shockwave Grenades and Rift Fish from the competitive loot pool. Zayt can now utilize his game knowledge to lead his team on a crusade. The developer’s current $20M USD commitment to the tournament scene this year also likely helped Zayt make his decision.
The community will welcome him back with open arms. Zayt’s a true pioneer with many years of success remaining. It’s undoubtedly going to be a fascinating season of competitive Fortnite.
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