Fortnite Battle Royale is kicking off 2018 with a silent but deadly update. As of Jan. 2 at 8 a.m. EST, a silenced pistol will be introduced to the popular free-to-play experience. According to an official blog post on the subject, the new gun has Epic and Legendary rarity and can be found in treasure chests, supply drops and floor loot.
While pistols have never been the bread and butter of the Battle Royale experience, Epic is also introducing a brand new limited time mode to keep players open to breaking old habits. Called Sneaky Silencers, the new match type is limited to suppressed SMGs and this suppressed pistol. All traps are disabled, and the drop rate of the Bush will be significantly increased to help players get their sneak on. There will be a few days to get used to the new hardware first, however, because Sneaky Silencers doesn’t launch until Jan. 5.
While there’s plenty of new content to be found here, we’d be hesitant to call the addition of a single silenced pistol a game changer. After all, pistols are hardly a threat in the current Battle Royale meta aside from the occasional revolver kill. It’s also worth noting that, since the highly anticipated shooting overhaul hasn’t entered testing yet, an accuracy-focused gun like this might not play as tightly as some players would prefer. Silenced pistols are necessary for any good shooter, but this one feels like a special circumstance kind of weapon.
For those not caught up on the latest Fortnite Battle Royale gossip, today’s silenced pistol update arrives a few weeks after Epic Games’ confirmation that planned shooting adjustments wouldn’t be in place to meet their prior 2017 deadline. Instead, the team has shifted its schedule to deploy something in early 2018. When the changes launch they’ll be tested on an opt-in basis to be sent out to the public at a later date.
Fortnite Battle Royale is available now as a free download across PC, Mac, PS4 and Xbox One. The silenced pistol update is expected to release across all four platforms by 8 a.m. EST.
Will you be trying out the silenced pistol as soon as it comes to Fortnite Battle Royale? Which kinds of guns would you like to see added to the roster in a future update? Tell us in the comments section!
