Fortnite Battle Royale Season 3 is expected to begin on Thursday, Feb. 22, and Epic Games has just announced a new weapon ahead of the festivities. The Hand Cannon, revealed in a tweet just hours ago, could be Fortnite’s first non-rocket weapon to feature explosive ammo. Building will receive a huge overhaul too.
Say hello ... and goodbye. #FNBRSeason3 pic.twitter.com/3rx3xClGGN
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) February 21, 2018
The news first appeared Wednesday morning with the Scarface-inspired image seen above. “Say hello… and goodbye,” the brief message reads. Fans were quick to pick out the Desert Eagle-style gun in the picture, which immediately sparked speculation. About an hour later, an in-game news post officially revealed the weapon as the Hand Cannon. “This handheld heavy hitter packs a punch,” the description reads. Its estimated date of arrival is listed as “coming soon.”
Those who follow Fortnite closely will remember this isn’t the first time Epic teased the Hand Cannon. In the most recent Save The World development update, Epic suggested that a Heavy Pistol would be introduced to the campaign by Feb. 21. In early February, developers teased that a gun with explosive rounds would be coming soon. While we don’t know for sure, it sounds like the Hand Cannon is precisely what was being referenced. We’ll learn more about this gun as soon as it’s live in-game.
Beyond new weapons, mechanics are getting an overhaul as well. A new blog post mentions three ways in which Fortnite’s central building mechanic will change in the coming days. Turbo Building will allow players to quickly place items by holding down the primary fire button, while Automatic Material Swapping will switch your inventory to the next available item once the first one runs out. Couple that extra speed with the fact that building through objects will be allowed, and base construction instantly becomes faster and simpler than it’s ever been.
Epic has teased improvements to Fortnite’s building features over the past few weeks, and it’s clear the development team has delivered. This trifecta of changes essentially removes all major points of friction in Fortnite’s most important feature.
These developments arrive the afternoon before Fortnite Battle Royale is expected to begin its third season of Battle Pass cosmetic content. In addition to many tiers to progress through, players will be able to unlock new forms of customization including unique loading screens, Back Bling and parachute effects. Unlike previous Battle Passes, the upcoming one can’t be bought with real-world money. All purchases must be handled entirely through in-game V-bucks. That means players will have to grind challenges in Save The World or spend extra V-bucks accrued during the previous season.
What are your thoughts on the Hand Cannon and building changes coming to Fortnite? Are you stoked for Battle Royale Season 3? Tell us in the comments section!
