Fortnite Weapons We Want Back
In the current environment of the gaming world, it's more important than ever to find ways to stay relevant. With game development becoming easier to access and indie artists creating their own content, big gaming companies have had to find ways to hold their audience's attention. One way that this is done is by constantly updating content. Whether that's through a patch with bug fixes, an expansion pack, or updates to features, a game that promises to keep its players entertained is mandatory in a market full of other options.
Epic Games has found a few great ways to keep their audience interested, even after the market has become somewhat saturated by Fortnite. By adding new seasons to their game and constantly introducing, removing, and improving their weaponry, Epic is ensuring that even the most avid Fortnite player will find something new every few months. While this is often good news, it can have its downfalls. When a player finds that perfect weapon that they just love, there's always that possibility that it may eventually get put in the vault. Sometimes weapons are placed in the vault because they were too overpowered. Sometimes it's because they were horrible and need to be improved. But the one promise of the vault is that there's always a possibility for the weapon to come back into gameplay. And with that in mind, here are the weapons we desperately want back from the dreaded and infamous Fortnite vault.
Fans were shocked when the burst assault rifle was partially vaulted
Whenever a new weapon is introduced into the Fortnite battle royale, players begin to assess how likely it is that the weapon will stick around for long. If something is insanely overpowered, prone to glitches, or simply unpopular among players, chances are it won't be in the game for very long. This is an expected part of Fortnite that has become somewhat predictable. What players weren't expecting, however, was the partial removal of the burst assault rifle, which has been a staple of Fortnite for a long time.
The fact that the burst assault rifle was only partially vaulted was at least somewhat of a relief for long-time fans of this weapon. Only the common, uncommon, and rare versions of the burst assault rifle have been sent to the vault, meaning that the epic and legendary versions can still be found in game. Because this weapon wasn't necessarily overpowered, glitchy, or unpopular, it's difficult to speculate why it was moved to the vault, even partially. But even with the gun making rare appearances, players are still devastated that their favorite weapon is only a ghost of what it used to be. Everyone is silently crossing their fingers that the burst assault rifle, in all of its iterations, won't be gone for long.
The Infinity Blade would be perfect for a limited-time mode
In a game as popular as Fortnite, it's important for game developers to constantly make small alterations to the various aspects of the gaming mechanics in order to keep things fun, fair, and fresh for fans. This means that if an incredibly overpowered weapon is introduced into the battle royale, immediate steps need to be taken to remove it or alter it. This is exactly what happened with the Infinity Blade. The weapon was added in late 2018 and was instantly called out for being overpowered. Any player wielding the infinity blade was able to leap great distances and received 200 health and 200 shield, making them basically indestructible.
Even though that pretty much negates the point of the battle royale altogether, it can't be denied that the infinity blade was a coveted item. Of course, this appeal was somewhat lost when its introduction nearly ruined a Fortnite tournament with a $1m prize. Though the weapon itself caused understandable outrage, it didn't necessarily mean that players didn't want it in the game at all. Most simply would have preferred it if the blade was only included in a limited-time mode to keep things fair. Here's to hoping that can still happen one day.
The original submachine gun is still missed
When one of their favorite guns gets placed in the vault, many Fortnite players hold onto the hope that there's always the chance that the weapon may come back, even if it's been slightly altered. This was the case for the original submachine gun. The new SMG has gone over well enough, but gamers still miss the original, which was vaulted with patch 2.5.0. The new SMG, added in the 5.0 content update, was introduced with a lower DPS and smaller magazine. While the differences between the original SMG and the new SMG are minimal, diehard fans have found the small changes unacceptable.
The appeal of the submachine gun is its rapid fire rate. This combat style would obviously be more suited for someone who favors the spray-and-pray technique, as the accuracy of the gun wasn't something to write home about. But because it gave players the ability to riddle their enemies with bullets, accuracy wasn't really on top of the priority list. While the newer version of the SMG has given players some sense of peace, it still hasn't quite filled the void, as the small changes made have provided a different playing experience.
The Zapotron was too good to be around for long
Sometimes players can predict what's going to happen in a game before it's ever even hinted at. This seemed to be the case when the Zapotron was introduced in Fortnite. This incredibly powerful sniper rifle was too good to be true, and because of the high damage it was able to do, players knew that it wasn't long for this world. It was only a matter of time before the game developers realized how unbalanced this particular gun made the battlefield and vaulted the item.
This coveted weapon had such a short lifespan that newer players question if it ever existed in the first place. Because of its incredibly powerful damage rate, Epic was quick to take the gun out of the game, removing it only a few days after it had first appeared. And though there are hints that it could possibly return to the battle royale eventually, it can be assumed that it won't be the Zapotron players remember originally. But boy, would we love to get our hands on it one last time.
A bug sent remote explosives to the vault
There are many gamers who enjoy a good stealth run over anything else in a game. And then, there are those who just want to blow things up. For fans of Fortnite who fell into the latter category, they were devastated to see the remote explosives removed from the battle royale. These explosives did significant damage not only to their fellow players, but also to structures. They were detonated from a distance, making them the perfect drive-by weapon for someone in a hurry.
One of the reasons the remote explosives were sent to the vault, however, was because of an unfortunate bug that kept the weapon from working the way it was intended. While the remote explosives were able to damage enemies in the battle royale, it became unable to harm structures, thus taking away a huge portion of the weapon's appeal. Even with this major flaw in the makeup, the remote explosives were still widely popular and sorely missed when they were sent to the vault. Of course, the fact that they were sent there because of a bug means it's very likely they'll be reinstated once the issue is fixed.
The shockwave and impulse grenades were both short-lived
The impulse and shockwave grenades were a favorite of many Fortnite players not only because of their utility, but because of the entertainment they provided to those launching their enemies through the air. The impulse grenade was the first to provide this new form of entertainment, but once the impulse grenade was placed in the vault, it was replaced by the shockwave grenade. Fans hoped that the grenade would be here to stay, but unfortunately, the shockwave grenade was also sent to the vault.
One of the more memorable moments in the lifespan of these explosives was the buff placed on the impulse grenade for April Fool's Day, which gave the grenade double the launching power. With the introduction of patch 6.00, however, the impulse grenade was sent into the vault. When the shockwave grenade was introduced, it seemed that it had the same functionality as the impulse grenade, if not boasting some small differences. But just like its predecessor, the shockwave grenade didn't last long and was sent to the vault with patch 7.00. This pattern of vaulting grenades doesn't bode well for any future additions to the Fortnite explosive family.
The guided missile made players unstoppable
The guided missile has a history of being vaulted in Fortnite. When the guided missile was first introduced, it became an immediate favorite because of its high damage output. Because of this, however, it was soon vaulted so that the game developers could make it a little more fair in a fight. But once the guided missile returned from the vault, it was still a considerably more powerful weapon than many of the others available. Even for all that, this still wasn't the main reason it was placed in the vault once again.
Though it hasn't been confirmed, speculation has been made that the guided missile returned to the vault because of a glitch that made the user nearly invincible. When combined with Shadow Stones, the guided missile made the player wielding it invisible, but still able to use their weapons. This, of course, made them nearly impossible to kill. Once word got around about this glitch, it seems obvious why the developers felt the need to vault this particular item. We can only hope that we'll get a third and more reasonable version of the guided missile eventually.
The drum gun was gangster
While extremely overpowered weapons aren't always a recipe for an enjoyable match, the drum gun was the exception to this rule. Fortnite players loved the drum gun in spite of the title of "overpowered" that it was given. The look of this weapon had a distinctly vintage feel and the speed offered a huge advantage to any player who wielded it. Add to that the fact that it not only did great amounts of damage but could hold up to 50 rounds at a time, and it's no wonder the developers over at Epic Games felt the need to remove this gun from the playing field until it could be toned down a bit.
Like many of the other guns on this list, it's entirely possible that the drum gun will return to the battlefield sooner rather than later, since it was only removed to restore balance to the game. Once the balance issues are fixed, it's likely you'll see the reinstatement of this fan favorite, though obviously not in the same way you remember it. Now you'll just have to hope that Epic Games doesn't make the opposite mistake and completely destroy the appeal of the gun so many players have come to love.
The crossbow was a top pick for stealth players
Even though Fortnite often encourages a more aggressive playstyle, there are still a few weapons that seem to force players to take their time in the battle royale. The crossbow, which didn't last for a particularly long time in the game, was one of those. Unlike an overpowered launcher or a throwable explosive that takes out a handful of players, the crossbow required a bit of patience and skill. Those who were able to use it properly found that it was the perfect weapon for a stealthier approach to the typically loud battle royale.
Being introduced in February of 2018 and vaulted only a few months later, players didn't have the opportunity to get quite as attached to the crossbow as they had to other vaulted favorites, but for the short time this weapon was available, it amassed quite a fan following. Because the crossbow wasn't particularly overpowered, it's possible that it will return and was simply removed to control the pool of available weapons in Fortnite. Even though its reign was short-lived, fans of a stealthy Fortnite will be anxiously awaiting the crossbow's return.
The semi-auto sniper rifle was a must-have
Like the crossbow, the semi-auto sniper rifle was a highly coveted weapon for those Fortnite players looking for ways to remain hidden in the metaphorical shadows while picking their enemies off one by one. The obvious advantage of a sniper rifle is the ability to kill off other players without giving away your location or making yourself vulnerable. But where the semi-auto sniper rifle was concerned, this was brought to a whole other level.
The semi-auto sniper rifle was the perfect weapon choice for skilled snipers looking to pull off a one-shot kill. Any player with good aim and a cool disposition knew that this gun was the top pick for quick kills. This particular gun also sported a high fire rate, especially when compared to other sniper rifles. All of these advantages may be what sent this beloved gun to the vault in the first place, but one thing is certain: it's a weapon that has been sorely missed since it was taken away. Any Fortnite player who favors long distance and steady aim has undoubtedly been missing this one.
A sticky explosive is an obvious fan favorite
While most of the weapons on this list fall strictly into the category of guns, one of the more unique weapons to be placed in the Fortnite vault was the Clinger. This odd little contraption could stick to enemies. Once the Clinger was stuck to a player, they'd have no way to remove it, meaning that the person who had originally shot the clinger, could detonate it whenever they wanted. How's that for some extreme mind games in an already stressful situation? Having that kind of control over the fate of your enemy is an obvious reason why this weapon was so loved while it was available.
Of course, as with any weapon, there were risks to using this explosive. If you managed to successfully attach the Clinger to your opponent, it was still possible for the weapon to harm you. If your prey decided to make a run at you as you were detonating the device, then you would be blown up right alongside them. Because of this, players using this weapon would need to make sure they kept their distance from their target. Even with this risk, though, the Clinger was hugely popular.
The six shooter offered versatile combat options
Of the many desired attributes of a perfect weapon in Fortnite, versatility ranks towards the top of that list. While the six shooter may not have been the most powerful or even the most accurate of weapons sent to the infamous Fortnite vault, it was still an all-rounder that fans were sad to lose.
The six shooter had two different ways that it could be used, based on what fighting style the player preferred. It could be un-holstered and aimed at an opponent for a tighter accuracy and a more focused shot, or it could be shot from the hip in a rapid succession, giving you less accuracy but more shots fired off. And for those players who enjoy switching their playstyles up every once in a while, this was an extremely desirable pick. Released as part of the Fortnitemares event, this gun gained instant popularity and was just as instantly missed when news broke that it would join our other favorite weapons in the vault.