Fortnite Players Complain about Lack of Shields in Matches
Many Fortnite players are currently frustrated with the difficulty of finding shields in matches. Whether it’s small shield potions, Slurp Juices, or Chug Jugs, consumable shield items seem to be scarce in some matches.
Professional Fortnite streamer Nick “NICKMERCS” Kolcheff expressed his frustration, stating that he’s “playing a game that thrives on shields, and there isn’t any in the game.” Fellow streamer Jimmy “HighDistortion” Moreno also tweeted that it’s nearly impossible to find shields in the game right now.
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The Fortnite community is echoing their sentiments and circulating a meme on Reddit that asks for more information about the disappearance of shields. They wonder if the spawn rate has been adjusted or if the oversaturated loot pool is causing fewer shields to drop.
Most people believe that the abundance of consumable items added by developer Epic Games to Fortnite: Battle Royale has caused a significant decrease in the drop rates of shields.
This theory gains traction when considering that one out of the four items dropped by chests is a random consumable item. This category includes any non-weapon or non-trap item, such as explosives. Regardless of the chest’s contents, one out of the 17 available consumable items in standard game modes has a chance of appearing.
According to statistics website Fortnite Tracker, the big Shield Potion has a 14.7 percent chance of appearing, making it the most likely item. However, the new Glider item takes second place with a 12.2 percent chance.
To make room for the Glider item at 12.2 percent, Epic had to reduce the drop rates of other items. This likely means that shield items like the Small Shield Potion and the Slurp Juice now have lower rates than before Gliders were introduced.
There are two potential solutions for Epic to address this issue. The first is to remove consumable items that players seldom use and increase the chances of shield items dropping. The second is to adjust the drop rates, reducing the appearance of other items while increasing the frequency of shields.
Considering that Gliders may be the root cause of the issue, reducing their drop rate to increase shield rates seems like a logical approach.
Epic Games has yet to comment on the situation publicly. However, based on their past responses, they may release a hotfix to address the issue if they decide to take action.