From Savage to Ravaged - How Fortnite ruined the Pump Shotgun

Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2 is nearing its end. Barring any unforeseen delay, the new Fortnite Season 3 is expected to release on the 4th of June 2020.

Among many highly anticipated changes in the game, a demand to buff the Pump Shotgun tops them all.

Let's face it. The Pump shotgun has never been the same since it was first vaulted in almost a year ago in Fortnite Season 9.

🚨 BREAKING: Epic Games have VAULTED the Combat Shotgun! 🚨BRUTE fixes, weapon vaults, and more 🧐https://t.co/ij9pIKXf1A

— Fortnite News (@FortniteINTEL) September 5, 2019

In a statement, Epic Games explained that the 'Pump Shotgun' accounted for more than 25% of the overall kills in the Fortnite game and shrinks any room for 'variety' in the game.

Epic Games issued a statement on why the Pump Shotgun in Fortnite was vaulted (Image Credits: dailyesports.gg)

The community response towards this uncalled change in Fortnite was expectedly overwhelmingly negative. Here is a video compilation of popular Fortnite streamers and Content creators reacting to the introduction of the infamous Pump vault in the game.

Not long after the disagreement in the Fortnite community regarding the same, Epic Games was forced to roll back the vault, allowing the beloved pump shotties to make a comeback in the game.

The community went as far as organising a change.org petition to bring the pump shotgun back in game. However, this time the gun lacked its very signature 'one-shot' capability and players quickly realised that the gun was heavily nerfed in order to balance the game.

Players did not feel the new 'revised' Pump shotgun was rewarding enough in terms of damage dealt, and quickly moved on to other alternatives available.

Fortnite Pump Shotguns are known to have inconsistent damage rates (Image Credit: u/yluom)

Tactical Shotgun and Combat Shotties (*shakes in fear of the Sniper shotgun flashbacks*) eventually replaced. This came as a relief to many who fell victim to the unforgiving sniper shotguns in Fortnite.

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Would Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3 revive the Pump Shotgun?

Could Fortnite season 3 see the much anticipated pump shotgun buff?

Gradually, as the game progressed to its current state - Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 2, the Pump Shotgun received an even further nerf. It was in terms of its damage rate and distance along with a grey variant that could easily qualify as the most inconsistent weapon in the history of Fortnite.

The Reddit Fortnite community has been head over heels, requesting Epic Games to pull shotguns out of their dreadful state.

RIP Pump ShotgunSeptember 26, 2017 - May 9th, 2019Forever in our hearts. pic.twitter.com/R15VWY5ffp

— Jack “CouRage” Dunlop (@CouRageJD) May 9, 2019

Fortnite players have not only observed the gun to be least rewarding but also glitched. There have been numerous reports of the Pump shotgun not shooting, taking too long to pull out of the inventory and multiple other recorded bugs, along with many players strongly recommending the Pump to be reverted to its original design.