Fortnite: Rail Gun & Recon Scanner Vaulted From Competitive
| Tags: Fortnite
| Author Matt Pryor
Two controversial items have been removed from competitive playlists in Fortnite Season 7.
Epic Games has made a significant change ahead of tournament play in Fortnite Chapter 2 – Season 7. After much uncertainty, concerned players can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that the new Rail Gun and Recon Scanner will not factor into competitive matches. It took only one week of complaints and concern for Epic to remove the two items. The overwhelming response during Fortnite’s preseason period likely led to this call.
Rail Gun & Recon Scanner Vaulted
We have removed the Rail Gun and the Recon Scanner from competitive playlists.
We'll let you know if there are additional updates to Competitive gameplay.
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) June 15, 2021
Epic’s decision comes mere days after removing Flying Saucers from competitive game modes. Players quickly identified the strength of two other weapons new to this season. The Rail Gun can hit for maximum damage through fully built structures, and the Recon Scanner pinged players within a given range. Combined, the two items were unstoppable.
Given the negative response, it seemed that neither would last long in competitive playlists. However, some personalities in the community felt differently. Epic ultimately made the right choice in this regard, considering the backlash that would have followed otherwise.
Epic’s Vast Improvements in Competitive
In an effort to address server performance in high-level matches, we have removed Saucers from competitive playlists (Arena + Tournaments). We will continue to monitor these playlists throughout the competitive pre-season. pic.twitter.com/VGm3a1hMoE
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) June 10, 2021
It’s worth taking a moment to recognize Epic Games’ complete 180 over the last year. They’ve listened to the competitive scene and have made necessary loot pool adjustments for the sake of fairness. Some highlights include removing superhero abilities in Chapter 2 – Season 4 and keeping Shockwave Grenades and other questionable items out of tournament play. Requests are no longer falling on deaf ears, it seems.
With the FNCS All-Star Showdown looming, this news could not have come at a better time for participants. It promises to be an intense competition between the best players of Season 5 and Season 6. Epic dished out $3M USD, and now, no one’s run can end at the hands of a Rail Gun or Recon Scanner. Click here for more information about how you can watch the FNCS All-Star Showdown.
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