The annual Fortnitemares event has returned to The Island of Fortnite, bringing with it a slew of Halloween-themed weaponry, but the overpowered Charge Shotgun wasn't invited to this year's ghoulish events and has been vaulted. While players have mixed feelings about the vaulted shotgun variant, Fortnite is keen on discussing all of the new additions instead of what has been removed.
The Charge Shotgun was introduced at the beginning of Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3, and instantly changed the game's meta. Unlike Fortnite's other shotguns, the Charge Shotgun fires on the release of the trigger or mouse button. Players have to hold down the fire button in order to charge up the shotgun, and the longer the player charges the more damage the shot does. While the Charge Shotgun takes more skill to use properly, its damage output trumps that of the Pump Shotgun and Combat Shotgun. For the past few months, the Charge Shotgun has had a reign of terror over Battle Island.
Today, Fortnite launched its Fortnitemares event introducing a few new items, weapons, and a vehicle. The iconic Pumpkin Launcher has returned which is essentially a rocket launcher that shoots explosive pumpkins. The Fiend Hunting Crossbow also makes its return which deals a moderate amount of damage and doesn't require the player to collect ammunition. Candy can now be found around the map which restores the player's health and shield. The Witch's Broom is a new vehicle that allows players to take combat to new heights. But what Fortnite seemingly "forgot" to advertise was the removal of the Charge Shotgun. Luckily, Fortnite Insider published the patch notes which revealed Fortnite's sneaky vaulting of the Charge Shotgun.
With the news breaking of the Charge Shotgun being vaulted, the Fortnite community is torn between praising its removal and lamenting its disappearance. A quick search of "Charge Shotgun" on Twitter will warrant a slew of tweets featuring heated arguments and celebrations over the overpowered weapon's removal. The negative responses may be the reason that Fortnite chose to keep this decision under wraps. While more casual players rejoice that the nightmarish shotgun has been removed, Fortnite's decision will have a drastic effect on the game's meta.
While Fortnite can seem like a sweaty mess of a shooter, events like Fortnitemares cater to the casual player base. Removing the Charge Shotgun was a well-needed change, but the addition of Halloween weapons is a fun and exciting addition to Fortnite that all players can enjoy. Sure, the Pumpkin Launcher and Broomsticks may not stick around for long, but their brief lifespan on the battlefield is enough to make Fortnite fun again... at least for a short while.
Sources: Epic Games, Fortnite Insider