When it comes to Fortnite, the only real constant with the game is change. Not only is this done with the fairly brisk turnover rate of its seasons, but also the frequent update patches and hotfixes rolled out throughout any one season. This happens to be the case today, with Fortnite revealing details of an all-new item on the island.
Epic Games' massively played battle royale title is just over a week into its Chapter 3 Season 3. Following the defeat of Dr. Slone and the IO, the "Vibin" themed summer season has seen an all new biome created called Reality Falls. Home to the Reality Tree, players can obtain Mythic weapons by planting Reality Seeds and harvesting the resulting sapling over the course of multiple matches. While players must be in the specific area on the map, getting around to there may have just gotten a bit easier.
Detailed in an official blog post, the June 14 hotfix for Fortnite v21.00's biggest addition comes in the form of the new Grapple Glove item. Working chiefly as a mobility item, the Grapple Glove allows players to attach and swing from hard surfaces on the island, with each swing building up to max speed by the third one. Players will have a brief window after touching the ground to become airborne before the Grapple Glove's cooldown starts, with an even longer window if sliding out of a swing.
Found in Grapple Glove Toolboxes at the pink Grapple Stops around the island, the Grapple Glove is clearly the replacement for the extremely popular Spider-Man's Web Shooters item from the first season of Fortnite Chapter 3. However, there are a few key differences: overuse of the Grapple Glove causes it to overheat, and has only 30 uses compared to the Web Shooters' 80 and unlimited usability. However, the Grapple Glove does have a unique secondary function, in that it can be used to pull hard-to-reach items towards the user.
The other major component of Fortnite's latest hotfix is several weapon balance changes. Nearly all of the balance changes are nerfs to weapons, with the actual buffs to only two different weapons. The new close-range weapon Two-Shot Shotgun now has increased pellet damage, minimum pellet count, accuracy, and max damage cap, while the Hammer Assault Rifle has reduced recoil. Damage has been reduced for the Combat SMG and Striker Burst Assault Rifle, with increased recoil on the Striker's first shot. The alterations are bound to shake up the rankings of Fortnite's Chapter 3 Season 3 weapon tier list.
With the first update coming at just over a week in, there are bound to be several more over the course of the next few months. With so much left of the current season, players have plenty of time to level up fast in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 3 in a variety of ways, with additional updates providing even more opportunity.
Fortnite is free-to-play on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Epic Games