Epic seems to be working on a feature that allows you to change guns in Fortnite.
From the ability to pick up players, to Chapter 2’s fishing mechanic, the Fortnite developers are constantly looking for ways to make the game feel fresh. This latest idea would be a big change and divided the community.
Popular Fortnite Leak @HYPEX recently revealed that Epic Games is testing something called “Weapon Mod Slots”. According to Hypex, this new concept seems to give weapons capabilities or attachments.
We might get a new gun mechanic at some point. Epic recently started testing a new thing called “Weapon Mod Slots” and it seems to give the weapon abilities / attachments.
– HYPEX (@HYPEX) 27 December 2020
Weapon attachments are commonplace in the shooter genre, and titles like Call of Duty: Warzone and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds have proven that they can work in a Battle Royale environment as well.
These attachments range from alternative range and attractions, offering benefits such as a longer zoom or night vision, to mufflers and grips, which can reduce noise and recoil, respectively. The question is what will it look like in Fortnite?
Some weapons, such as the suppressed machine gun and Thermal Scoped Assault Rifle, already have attachments built in when you load them. Potentially, Epic would separate the attachments and drop them rather than loot.
However, it seems more likely that they would follow the “ability” route. Maybe certain upgrades can give the user increased speed or health recovery.
Weapon Attachments in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Many Fortnite fans have reacted negatively to the possible launch of weapon attachments. They argue that the simplicity of the outdoor pool compared to other BRs is an important selling point, and are concerned that this mechanic will ruin it.
While this is a good problem, do not panic too much. If Epic does continue with this feature, they will probably integrate it with the new bar currency system. This means that, rather than muddying the outdoor pool, weapon accessories or upgrades would be available at NPCs or even vending machines.
Of course, this is just speculation at this point. If it does, it will certainly be interesting to see what effect this new mechanic has on the Fortnite game.