Each season of Fortnite brings dozens of new changes and added features, but some disappear as quickly as they arrive for one reason or another.
Whether the items felt too overpowered for the game or that they just didn't click with the current meta, Epic Games tends to be hasty with the remove button.
Fortnite adds different aspects to spice up the game from time to time, including new weapons like the Kymera Ray Gun and the IO Tech Weapons.
Sometimes, fresh ideas to expand Fortnite's universe take unexpected turns and need to be smoothed over to prevent any imbalance in the game.
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Items in Fortnite that Epic Games decided to get rid of in a hurry
1. Zapotron
The iconic Fortnite weapon only stuck around for one patch, as it was removed in 1.6.4 after being released in 1.6.3. The Zapotron was a Legendary Sniper Rifle that could only be found in supply drops at random.
It was vaulted due to its insane 150 damage per shot while also straying from the current meta of its time. With its unique ammo only found in supply drops as well, the Zapotron just didn't fit in.
2. B.R.U.T.E (Mech)
The Brute Mech suit was a two-person maneuverable vehicle that basically slaughtered anything in its path during its time in Fortnite. Epic Games removed it due to its wildly overpowering nature and ability to cruise through matches without any countermeasure.
With a whopping 1,250 HP and the ability to consume materials for an overshield, the Brute quickly overtook Fortnite as one of the most unbalanced items in the game.
Epic Games promplty decided to remove it even after a tweak in a later patch.
3. Wall Dynamo
This early item in Fortnite relates similarly to the Ceiling Zapper mentioned further down and was removed to make way for the Spike Trap. During its time, it was considered a highly overpowered trap due to how tiny it was, making it near impossible to spot.
Players have to actively pay attention and search for the trap before walking into its deadly range. Epic Games deleted this Fortnite addition because traps in general weren't impacting the game as much as they wanted.
4. Eye of the Storm Tracker
Epic Games acted fast when this item was mistakenly added to Fortnite in patch 4.2 and removed it less than half an hour after its release. Players who utilized its appearance were able to see the final storm circles for later in the game.
It took the appearance of a backpack in an inventory slot but was taken out before many people could find it. Fortnite's mysterious circle movement is a big part of the game today, explaining why the Eye of the Storm Tracker lasted as short as it did.
5. Ceiling Zapper
Introduced in patch 1.6 and removed later in 1.11, this trap took the appearance of a Tesla Coil pointed towards the ground that electrocuted anyone who walked nearby.
Like the Spike Trap, it deals 125 damage to players caught underneath and has a short cooldown.
Epic Games removed this from Fortnite after deciding that it took up an entire inventory slot and wasn't used nearly as frequently to make it worth picking up. Afterwards, the Spike Trap took its place and could be carried in its own slot.