The latest changes to a couple of Storm Circles in Fortnite have been implemented by Epic Games with the aim of balancing the late-game in competitive play. While some players enjoy Fortnite as a casual, relaxing game, the competitive scene has grown significantly in recent years with large cash prize tournaments attracting highly trained players who need to stay up-to-date with all changes made to the game.
Keeping up with regular updates can be challenging for Fortnite players, especially with the introduction of controversial items like the Shockwave Hammer from last season and the Katana Sword in the current season. Nevertheless, Epic Games remains focused on maintaining a balanced and enjoyable competitive environment for players.
The News Hit Twitter
The official Fortnite status account recently tweeted that Storm Circle 6 and 7 have undergone changes. The aim of these changes is to discourage players from camping and healing during the late-game by making the Storm Circle move into the storm as it shrinks. Epic Games hopes that these zone adjustments will decrease the heal-off meta, in which players try to survive as long as possible in the storm while using their best healing items. Although this is a valid strategy, many viewers find it uninteresting to watch their favourite streamers hiding in a 1×1 to see out the win and consuming Floppers and Chug Splashes to try and stay alive in a heal-off.
While some pro players were disappointed by the short notice of the change, others were pleased to see Epic’s effort to reward players’ gaming abilities rather than relying on the randomness of the Storm Circle and health regeneration. This change was announced just a day before the FNCS Major 2 Week 2, but it appears that Epic Games is dedicated to improving the competitive experience of Fortnite as they always are.
The addition of mobility items such as the ODM Gear and Katana Sword this season have allowed players to continue relying on camping strategies. These items help players move quickly to the new safe zone, enabling teams to avoid combat and decrease their chances of being eliminated by other players.