Is the Hunting Rifle coming back in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 8? Details, expected release date, and crafting recipe

Although it's not hunting season in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 8, the Hunting Rifle could be coming back very soon. This behemoth of a weapon was a one-shot wonder back in the day, and skilled players were able to take out entire squads with a bit of steady aim.

It was last seen in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 4 before being unceremoniously valued. Truth be told, the weapon was overpowered to an extent, but not really game-breaking given the slow reload time and single-shot feature. Nonetheless, it seems as if it may soon be returning to the game once again

---

The Hunting Rifle may be unvaulted in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 8

The Hunting Rifle coming back to the game may shake up the long-range meta a bit. No doubt, while most players will prefer scoped snipers, loopers with pinpoint accuracy are bound to pick up this one-shot wonder.

But before diving into further details, readers by now must be wondering: "When will the Hunting Rifle be unvaulted?"

Unfortunately, as of now, there seems to be no information provided regarding a fixed timeline. According to renowned leaker and data miner HYPEX, the weapon is in the game files, and should be added to the game later in the season; however, there's no guarantee that the developers will indeed add it to the game at all.

Given that more weapons will be added to the current season's loot pool via the War Effort Donation drive, things may get a bit overwhelming for beginners, and perhaps even for older players alike.

According to the information obtained from the leak, Hunting Rifle x 1 + Nuts & Bolts, will provide players with a normal Sniper. However, given that the damage output of the Hunting Rifle is much higher than that of the Automatic Sniper Rifle, would players even be willing to sidegrade the weapon?

Well, the answer will depend on individual playstyle and accuracy with single-shot weapons. While the damage output is great, the slow reload time ensures that only skilled players can use the weapon effectively.

With all that said, for the time being, players will just have to just be patient and hope that Epic Games does indeed unvault this weapon, even if it's only for a little while in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 8.