0 Comments 
It’s safe to say that Optimus Prime was one of the most anticipated Fortnite skins in recent memory. Yet some players were disappointed that there was no transformation emote associated with the friendly robot. On the other hand, according to some players, this sort of emote would pose severe gameplay issues. Which side is right? As always, there is more than meets the eye, as Optimus Prime would say.
Fortnite Fan Explains Why Optimus Prime’s Transformation Can’t Work as an Emote
After the fan reaction to Optimus Prime’s lack of transformation, Reddit user Odiish explained in a thread why such an emote wouldn’t work from the game context. It makes sense from a pure gameplay standpoint, though it would’ve still been cool to see.
The logic behind the explanation is sound:
“I get the frustration, I would have loved it too, but it’s way too complicated for a Fortnite emote. Using Kit’s emote for comparison, Kit’s head remains visible, and he retains his hitbox, it’s just moved around, as with any other emote. Optimus Prime’s transformation would hide his head, and would require physically altering his hitbox and model. This would be a mess.”
“And on top of that, he also would need an animation to transform back into Optimus, and there’s no emote in the game that can do that. All emotes can be cancelled instantly by the player. You’d have a Truck instantly turn back into Optimus. It just wouldn’t work, this is all too complex for a Fortnite emote.”
But even with everything making sense on paper, the fans simply aren’t happy. User SprinklesOrdinary269 proposes a compromise solution that honestly could’ve worked: “Maybe it could be a victory emote like Doctor Doom’s emote? That way hitboxes wouldn’t really matter. Although I get that last bit about transforming back.”
We agree 100% with what TDiddlez says: “Whoa there buddy. How dare you come at me with such…sense…and logic… You didn’t address the fact that I WANT it…NOW!” Other players suggest that making the emote detrimental would’ve prevented players from using it mid-battle. For instance, by converting the whole body into a hitbox. However, from gameplay standpoint, that would only make it all the more frustrating after a while. And that doesn’t even address the part where he transforms back, or the animation cancel looking weird.
At the end of the day, it seems that there is no good middle ground. Our favourite version is the victory pose proposition, but the ball’s in Epic’s court, if they wish to amend that. But we’re not holding our breath for that to happen any time soon.
What’s your take on this topic? If you’re looking for Fortnite guides, check out Where to Find Coconuts, How to Sit Out, or How to Flip a Car in Fortnite.