FaZe Clan players hold an exhibition Fortnite match between controller and keyboard

For a game about to begin a massive tournament for PC players, the Fortnite community has spent a lot of time recently arguing about controllers (especially after the Xbox Exclusive Fortnite Cup announcement). This control scheme is almost universally shunned in favour of mouse and keyboard, but controller prodigies and a console only tournament have pushed them back into the limelight. FaZe clan members have attempted to settle the keyboard-controller debate with a private 1 on 1 match between one of their top players and possibly the top controller user in the whole game.

© FaZe Kay | Epic Games

Some keyboard proponents have long argued that console players have an advantage in Fortnite. Between “LT spamming” and aim assist, some players claim that controllers give help to unskilled players. Conventional wisdom doesn’t agree with this though. Controllers don’t really offer much of an advantage compared with the more natural and exact input of a mouse, nor the building reflex of using a keyboard. Controller player Sway looked to prove all of that wrong though.

Why is LT spam still in the game? from FortniteCompetitive

To weigh in on this controversy, some FaZe clan players have decided to put it to the test. Mongraal and Sway put on a match between themselves to decide whether controllers or mouse and board are the way to go while playing Fortnite.

The 1 v 1 match

Sway is an already significant Fortnite player. He has always been notable for insisting on a controller. This makes him a perfect guinea pig for this match! Mongraal has only recently moved to the FaZe team but is one of the active best Fortnite players.

The match saw the pair drop into a private competitive island and compete in a series of battles. They fought building fights and tested their combat skills against one another. The game showed off of some of their best work but was close throughout. One round ended in a tie as the two players reached the building limit before either pushed ahead of the other. In the end, the final score came down to 10-8, a Sway and controller victory!

This hardly sets controllers up as the new standard for Fortnite matches. However, it does show that playing with a controller is a legitimate preference in the world of Fortnite, as long as you’re as talented as Sway with one.

Changes at FaZe Clan

This was Mongraal’s first real FaZe event. He only recently joined the team but will be representing them at the upcoming Fortnite World Cup. Mongraal strengthens their team roster which has been left looking a bit worse for wear after the departure of both Cloak and Tfue. While FaZe still has some of the biggest names in Fortnite, the loss of two of the biggest players definitely impacted the team.

Former FaZe player Tfue also recently weighed in the controller debate. After playing with one throughout a stream he claims to have ‘less respect’ for those that use them. Clearly, his former teammates at FaZe don’t feel the same way.

With their new roaster, FaZe is again looking like a team bound for victory at the upcoming World Cup. While the controller vs Keyboard debate is hardly settled from this, it shows some pros might be able to sweep up in the upcoming Xbox tournament despite the control schemes.