Epic Games to Remove Controversial “Double Pump” Technique in Fortnite: Battle Royale
According to a post on the official Reddit page for the game, Epic Games will be removing a controversial gameplay technique known as the “double pump” in the upcoming 3.0 patch for Fortnite: Battle Royale.
In a post by Epic Games, it has been confirmed that the popular “double pump” technique will be nerfed. This technique involves players equipping two Pump Shotguns and quickly switching between them after firing a shot, effectively bypassing the delay on the guns’ fire rates.
Lead systems designer Eric Williamson explained that the Pump Shotgun’s high damage is balanced by its long reload time, and using the “double pump” technique makes the weapon more powerful than intended.
The Pump Shotgun currently has the highest damage output among non-sniper weapons, making it a lethal combination when paired with the double pump technique. The Tactical Shotgun, while having a lower damage output, compensates with a higher fire rate.
With the release of the 3.0.0 patch, the Pump Shotgun’s behavior will be adjusted. If a player fires the Pump Shotgun and quickly switches weapons, the next time they select the Pump Shotgun, they will be forced to pump it before firing again. This change will only apply to Pump Shotguns, but Epic Games will be monitoring other weapon types for similar concerns.
The announcement has received mostly positive feedback, although some hardcore and competitive players will need to adapt their strategies once the patch goes live this week.