In a twist no one saw coming, Fortnite inexplicably vaulted the Pump Shotgun. With the launch of Season 9 earlier today, Fortnite wanted a fresh start for a new season. Well, they certainly made their mark.
The Pump Shotgun has been a staple of Fortnite since its inception in 2017. Thousands of clips of streamers and casual players alike demolishing enemies with this weapon are now only a distant memory.
While it remains to be seen whether or not the Pump will stay in the vault, the community is outraged nonetheless.
Why did Fortnite vault the Pump Shotgun?
Many thought that the Pump Shotgun was getting vaulted after the infamous “Double Pump” phase. The weapon was simply too strong and upset the balance of the game severely.
However, the gun made it through after a tweak to its rarity and stats. Following that incident, no one thought the Pump was ever going to be vaulted.
Of course, Season 9 seems to be the Pump’s undoing. Fortnite chose to vault a slew of weapons and items, and the Pump is on that list. Citing they want a fresh feel to the game, Fortnite removed one of the most popular weapons in the game’s history.
Here’s a full list of what Fortnite vaulted in Season 9:
- Balloons
- Clingers
- Poison Dart Trap
- Pump Shotgun
- Scoped Revolver
- Suppressed Assault Rifle
- Thermal Assault Rifle
- Treasure Map
The reasoning and explanation
While a controversial decision, there is a little reasoning behind Fortnite‘s choice. According to them, the Pump Shotgun accounted for 26 percent of all eliminations in casual playlists. That is an inordinate percentage, as one fourth of the kills come from the Pump.
However, most of the community feel that a nerf would have been much more reasonable. Considering that the only common and uncommon shotgun left is the Tactical Shotgun, their reasoning is warranted.
Although, they did leave the game with a replacement in the Combat Shotgun. Acting similarly to the Pump, the hope is this weapon will do what the Pump did but not in as flashy a manner.
Here’s the full explanation Fortnite gave regarding the Pump Shotgun:
We want the beginning of each Season to feel fresh and allow for a new gameplay experience along with all the new Seasonal content. Whether its new cross-map mobility, new weapons, or just new places to drop – you should feel like there is plenty to explore and experience. Specifically when it comes to Pump Shotguns, they stand out significantly: they currently account for over 26% of eliminations in default playlists, with the next weapon type not even coming close. Rather than nerfing the Pump Shotgun to a point where it no longer lives up to its fantasy, our preference is to return it to the vault, giving us an opportunity to revisit the general balance of the item, while introducing a new shotgun.
There is hope for fans of the Pump Shotgun, but for now, the Combat and Tactical Shotgun will have to do.
What’s your take on the removal of the Pump? Let us know in the comments below. Stay tuned to Daily Esports for all Season 9 news and updates.
