Fortnite has received a huge shake-up to its battle royale mode, with late-game storm circles closing faster than before. While moving around the map early on will feel the same as it currently does, Epic notes that “as the match goes on, you’ll have less time to rotate late.” Sucks for someone like me who gets caught up exploring and is always surprised when the storm closes in on them. Oh well.
While this change will certainly make things feel more intense later on in a round, meaning you’ll need to be on the pulse even more, it isn’t necessarily set in stone. “This is an active trial and we want your feedback,” Epic’s Fortnite status account says, adding, “Does the pacing feel better? Are late rotations still doable?” before inviting comments on the switch up.
This isn’t the only of the “improvements” that are live in the battle royale game mode, though. Alongside storm circle tweaks, battle bus divers will find fewer pistols out in the world, with Shock Rocks dropping in double stack size, for a maximum of four. Surgical Burst Rifles and Warforged Assault Rifles have seen changes due to them “[settling] into a more limited role since season launch,” with more damage for the former, and the latter being faster and more accurate. Bank Shot Pistols will drop more often, dealing more damage, and the Mythic Rapid Fire SMG will hold more bullets per mag, whereas the Mythic Ranger Pistol now deals less damage overall. And finally, Guardian Shields have notedly “grown too powerful since being reintroduced to Zero Build,” so they will now recharge slower and drain faster when at full charge.
Whether you’re a fan of these changes or not, it seems like hiding in a bush til the late stages of a match is going to get a lot less viable. Time to brush up on those tips and tricks.