The Fortnite Drum Gun has had a strange history. Now out of the vault, there has been a Fortnite Drum Gun nerf in the latest update. “Why has the Drum Gun been nerfed?” we hear you cry. We’re here to help you get to the bottom of what’s happened to the Drum Gun in Fortnite and to explain why it’s been nerfed. Read on for all the juicy Drum Gun details.
Fortnite Drum Gun Nerf | What’s happened to the Drum Gun?

Fortnite weapons come and go, as has happened to the Drum Gun in the past. Thanks to the voting public, however, the Drum Gun has reappeared again from out of the dreaded vault. The unvaulting of the Drum Gun has not gone without controversy, however. According to Dexerto, high-profile Fortnite streamer Ninja was quick to deliver his opinion on the “overpowered” Drum Gun, for example.
Now, though, it appears as though Ninja has got his wish. The Drum Gun has been changed. In the latest Fortnite update, it has been nerfed so that its stats aren’t quite so powerful as they were before.
The Drum Gun base damage stats have been reduced from 26/27 to 22/23. This means that it is simply not as powerful as it was before the patch went live. It should take a couple more hits with it to down enemies from now on. Why, though, has the Drum Gun been nerfed? The answer is waiting for you below.
Fortnite Drum Gun Nerf | Why has the Drum Gun been nerfed?

The Drum Gun has been nerfed, officially, because Epic Games wasn’t happy with it. Indeed, the developers claimed that “Since its unvaulting, the Drum Gun effectiveness has been slightly higher than” what was wanted. Simply put, Epic Games agreed with the likes of Ninja and others that the Drum Gun was too powerful for its own good. The company, however, is hoping that the nerf should prove popular, reducing the overall effectiveness of the Drum, Gun without ruining its powerful flavor.
Time will tell if the Drum Gun nerf has ruined the gun or made it better for all.
Fortnite Game Changing Pickups
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Fortnite's 10 Game Changing Pickups
So, you're dropping into Tilted Towers and you need a game changer. Something that will ensure that your next match is memorable. Fortnite has had plenty of these types of items in its brief history, and here are the most devastating. See any of these on the field, and you better run. -
Crossbow
Originally themed for Valentines Day, the crossbow was a devastating sniper rifle even without its fancy skin. A high damage output even on Rare difficulty and five shots to a clip made it a sharpshooters dream, and eventually led to it being vaulted in May of 2018. -
Drum Gun
A hybrid of a Rifle and Machine Gun, the Drum Gun brought a 1920s flair to Junk Junction. It proved to be deadly accurate in the hands of players at close range, even after a round of significant nerfs. Two months after its initial debut, it was curtains for this Tommy. -
Guided Missile
The preferred tool of any rocket rider, the Guided Missile lets you root out camping opponents and sail into the skies of victory. A devastating and rare munition, the Guided Missile saw two tours of duty in the fields of Fortnite. As of now, it's still available to mess around with in Playground mode. -
Infinity Blade
Originating in Epic's hit trilogy of mobile games, this mythic sword only lasted for four days before being banished to the Vault. It powered up players and granted them extra health, creating an in-game boss fight. In the end, it did its job just a bit too well. -
Infinity Gauntlet
A purposefully limited time item, this Marvel Comics artifact turned its wielder into Thanos. His mighty punch, energy blast, and insane leaping ability made players quake in fear during his summer stint in the battle royale. Let's hope he finds other worlds to conquer for the sequel. -
Jetpack
Nothing changes a shooter quite like added mobility. Dodge out of sniper fire and root out towers of foes with the Jetpack, a limited time only Legendary backpack. Aeronauts with enough skill can negate any crafty builders and land the last few kills with pinpoint accuracy. -
Mounted Turret
A turret sequence in most shooters is a drag, but a well executed run with the Mounted Turret can be a thrill. This legendary trap is deployable anywhere there's a flat surface and spurts out infinite ammo as long as you mind the heat and don't take enough damage. -
Remote Explosives
It makes sense that a game partially about building would also have some C4 to even the odds, but the Remote Explosives were too much for their own good. Able to rip apart strategies at a distance and coming in bundles of three, most players don't miss these server bombs. -
Thermal Scoped Assault Rifle
Able to pick out enemies and loot with ease, the Thermal Scoped Assault Rifle is the current best weapon if you're looking to charge an opposing team. Just be sure to account for its high recoil, lest you be staring into the sun as you take a fatal blow. -
Zapotron
One of the original vaulted weapons in Fortnite's battle royale mode, the Zapotron was an electrified sniper rifle that decimated groups of enemies from afar. It has a great design but doesn't really fit with the rest of the game's more authentic arsenal. Still, don't wear a lightning rod if we ever see this weapon again.
