
Fortnite: Epic To Test In-Game “Open” & “Aura” Scrims For EU Competitors
| Tags: Fortnite
| Author Matt Pryor

Epic Games looks to reshape Fortnite tournament practice.
Scrims in Fortnite Battle Royale can sometimes be hard to come by for mid-level and even some top-ranked teams. This ongoing issue has affected the game’s European region, which many players regard as the most talented region.
Epic Games has never entered the practice scene and instead acted only as the tournament host, leaving players and esports teams to organize adequate practice. That remained the case until today when Epic dropped a bombshell of an announcement specific to competitive scrims.
Beginning April 27, European players can participate in the new “Open” and “Aura” test event, where competitors of different skill levels have the opportunity to earn some in-game practice.
Also Read: FNCS Chapter 2 – Season 6 Preview
What are Open and Aura Scrims?
We're testing a new Scrim system for EU only 👀
Here's what to expect and how you can participate: https://t.co/FLsnc9kSom
— Fortnite Competitive (@FNCompetitive) April 22, 2021
Epic released a blog post today that not many expected. It revealed the company’s plans to commence testing in-game scrims for teams looking to level up and prepare for tournaments. The post explains that all participants will separate into two different pools based on their historical FNCS performance and Arena Mode rank.
Here is the difference between Open and Aura scrims as noted by Epic Games:
- Aura Scrims – Top 500 teams from Chapter 2 Season 5 FNCS Series Points.
- Open Scrims – Teams ranked in Arena Division 3 or higher.
April 27 marks the beginning of this testing phase for Open and Aura Scrims, which will run for two weeks. Here is what players can expect out of the format:
- Three sessions per week
- Top-performing players from Open League will get promoted to Aura Scrims the following week
- Inactive or poor-performing players from Aura Scrims will be relegated to Open Scrims for the second week.
Consistency is critical in both scrim sessions, considering that the best Open teams can advance to Aura, and Epic will demote underperforming Aura teams. Teams would theoretically need to put forth their best effort to remain in Aura or advance from Open.
Also Read: Best Trios Heading into FNCS Chapter 2 – Season 6
History & the Potential Impact of Epic-Hosted Scrims
To call Fortnite practice shoddy would be an understatement from a historical standpoint. Unfortunately, organizations and individual players have long carried the burden of “gate-keeping” and attempting to create fairness and inclusion for all teams.
Recently retired Fortnite legend, Williams “Zayt” Aubin, ran NA East’s premier “Elite Scrims” for a long time. While it was indeed an honor, Zayt felt obligated to allow certain people into the scrim sessions while other deserving players sat on the outside. He became a target because of the gate-keeping that often occurred.
European practice would often fall victim to “griefing” by some of the region’s top players. Whether you look at Zayt or EU scrims, there existed a lack of fairness and balance. Both factors affected unknown teams primarily, who could only make a name for themselves and earn passage into professional scrims through their tournament performances.
Epic’s Open and Aura testing phase could completely reshape competitive Fortnite practice if done correctly. Their efforts also speak to the overall improvements in the scene, which includes removing unfair items and communicating efficiently with players. Epic-hosted scrims are a step in the right direction for the developers and community.
Featured Image: Epic Games