We knew this was coming. A Fortnite Compact SMG nerf hotfix has just been launched by Epic to address the wildly overpowered compact SMG amid accusations of unfair balance within the game. The full patch notes are below, including a look at SMG drop rate changes, the new fire rate, and what it means for the future of the Compact SMG in Fortnite.
Fortnite Compact SMG Nerf Changes:
Epic has taken to Reddit to release the full patch notes, which are as follows:
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SMG and Compact SMG accuracy bonus reduced from 35% to 15%.
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SMG damage reduced from 19/20/21 to 17/18/19.
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Compact SMG damage reduced from 23/24 to 21/22.
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SMG fire rate reduced from 13 to 12.
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Compact SMG fire rate reduced from 11 to 10.
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SMG, Compact SMG, and Silenced SMG damage falloff.
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Range reduced from 2400/3500/5000 to 2000/3000/4000.
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Percentage reduced from 100/80/65% to 100/70/40%.
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Rare SMG and Compact SMGs drop rates slightly reduced.
While the magazine size of 50, interestingly, has stayed put, it’s the sheer damage the weapon can dole out that’s taken the biggest hit, even if only slightly. Damage has been reduced by a couple of points, with its accuracy bonus taking a 20% hit, which is probably for the best.
The most important update, though, appears to be the addition of damage fallout for all three types of SMG, no matter the weapon rarity. In layman’s terms, that means the further away a target is, the less damage you will do them should you hit them. This, when coupled with the large drop in range for the SMG leaves the weapon far less powerful than it was previously. All in all, quite a considerable SMG nerf.
Epic has also confirmed that damage fallout applies to structural and environmental damage, too. So, no more SMG sprees destroying forts from half a mile away.
How Have the Fortnite SMG Drop Rates Been Affected?
Epic has not released information on just how the SMG drop rates have been affected, only that they have been ‘slightly reduced’. Expect to see fewer of them cropping up in chests, supply drops and vending machines throughout the map.
How to Download the Fortnite SMG Hotfix:
You don’t have to do anything special to download the Fortnite SMG hotfix. Simply booting up the game will apply the update.
