During the downtime for the Fortnite 25.11 update today, leaks have started surfacing from the usual suspects and one in particular has grabbed the attention of fans. The Pump Shotgun is returning to Fortnite, but before you get too excited, it’s received a fairly hefty nerf.
As shared by popular leaker HYPEX, the Pump Shotgun will be unvaulted and return to Fortnite’s weapons pool as part of a future update, but its headshot damage and general effectiveness in battle have been shaken up a little bit.
When it’s re-released, the Pump Shotgun will have a tight spread and be effective at long range, which are definitely positives. The downside comes in its headshot damage at legendary rarity, which sits at a rather subdued 160. This is down from 203 headshot damage during Chapter 2: Season 6, and 185 damage during Chapter 3: Season 2.
This drop-off in headshot damage is what makes the news so disappointing. Part of what made the Pump Shotgun such a beloved weapon in the community was its ability to one-shot-kill opponents with a well-aimed headshot at close range. It made the gun incredibly satisfying to use, much in the same way one-shot-kill snipers are.
It’s worth keeping in mind that Epic Games has frequently chopped and changed the damage dealt by the Pump Shotgun in its long-running history in Fortnite, including the multiplier for headshots. As such, there’s nothing to say that it won’t get changed at a later date once it’s re-released and the developer has had time to collect data on its usage and balancing within the meta.
Weapon Changes in Fortnite 25.11
While the Pump Shotgun isn’t returning today, there are some changes to Fortnite’s weapon pool in the 25.11 update. The Heavy Sniper has been vaulted as of this update, and the Explosive Repeater Rifle has been released. The vaulting of the Heavy Sniper has divided fans, with some pleased that they’ll no longer be immediately one-shot killed from distance, while others are disappointed they can no longer be doing the one-shot killing. It just goes to show you can’t keep everyone happy!
Are you pleased to see the Pump Shotgun returning to Fortnite? Let us know down in the comments below.
