Fortnite v8.20 Update Reverts Siphon Mechanics in Core Game Modes
The latest Fortnite v8.20 update has undone the changes made in the previous v7.40 update to the core game modes. This means that the Siphon mechanics, which were implemented in the v7.40 update, have been rolled back and are now disabled in default Solo, Duos, and Squads playlists.
When players enter a core game mode now, they will notice that the material cap has returned to 999 per material, they will no longer gain 50 health or shield upon eliminating an opponent, eliminated opponents will not drop stacks of 50 of each material, and the amount of material gained from the environment when harvesting has decreased by 40 percent.
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Epic Games decided to revert the v7.40 changes due to concerns that it was causing an unhealthy level of aggressive play, while diminishing other viable strategies. Since the implementation of the v7.40 update, players have been complaining about the difficulty of standard matches, leading to speculation about the introduction of skill-based matchmaking in Fortnite.
This means that Fortnite: Battle Royale standard matches have returned to how they were before the v7.40 update. However, these changes will still apply to other competitive game modes. In core modes, players will need to spend more time harvesting, prioritize health and shield recovery items, and aggressive plays will not be instantly rewarded for eliminations.
For players who still want to experience the gameplay from the v7.40 to v8.11 updates, they can play in the Arena Mode or any other competitive mode, where these mechanics are still in effect.
It seems that core game modes will now be more welcoming to newcomers and casual players, as they can focus on building and won’t constantly face opponents rushing them with Shotguns. It is likely that players who prefer a more competitive environment will exclusively play in the Arena mode for a more challenging experience.
These changes are already live in Fortnite.