Fortnite’s v.12.10 update has come and gone, but as usual it may have revealed more than Epic had intended. After updates, data miners often scour the game’s files for new weapons and items. Among the things they came across were two new, unannounced weapons: the Scoped AR and a brand new Slug Shotgun.
Hypex, a Twitter account dedicated to Fortnite news and leaks, posted images of the data mined weapons. The images he uploaded showed off epic and legendary versions of a new type of Scoped AR. Along with that, he revealed a new kind of heavy shotgun that will fire slugs rather than shells.
If these leaks prove true, then players will be seeing new versions of old classics. The Scoped AR, which seemingly will be unvaulted despite there being no announcement, has gotten a slight revamp. Not only does the legendary version have a new, more aggressive look, but it now appears to be a burst-fire weapon—something which might change its playstyle altogether.
Similarly, the new Slug Shotgun looks as though it’ll bring a fresh new way of using a typically short-range weapon. Since this shotgun uses slugs instead of shells, it should be much more effective at a medium range. For the sake of balancing, the increased range for the Slug Shotgun is likely in exchange for a more narrow spread. If Hypex’s leaks are accurate, unlike with the shout emotes that were leaked in February and then later removed from the game’s files, players may not have to wait too long to play around with the new weapons.
Regardless, it’s important for Fortnite fans to temper their expectations. These leaks are still leaks, and their details are not set in stone. There’s really no telling when these weapons might be released, or if they’ll even have the same features when they do come out. Still, it’s hard for fans not to be excited for these sorts of leaks when they come out. Especially when there’s the chance that these weapons might change up some of the gameplay. In the meantime, though, players can look forward to participating in Fortnite Seasons 2’s upcoming Week 3 and 4 challenges—which, of course, have also been leaked.
Fortnite is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One, Android, and iOS.