A new sniper rifle capable of shooting through walls could be coming to Fortnite, according to a new item entry data mined by Fortnite hub Storm Shield One.
The "heavy sniper rifle" is described as a slow, bolt-action weapon that can "pierce through the first wall it hits." Its item entry shows 157 damage and a reload time of four seconds, which is much higher than a standard legendary bolt-action sniper rifle's 116 damage and 2.7 second reload. Coupled with its piercing effect, this would make the heavy sniper rifle the most lethal long-range weapon in Fortnite, provided it is indeed real.
The item entry also says data for the heavy sniper first appeared in Fortnite's recent 5.10 update, and while Epic has yet to confirm that the rifle is genuine, a weapon capable of piercing walls does fit with some other changes the update made. Update 5.10 not only made walls overall easier to destroy, it also added a new weapon, the Compact SMG, which absolutely chews through them.
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Update 5.10 is the latest in a line of changes made to weaken building as a strategy. Ever since Epic said in June that "not every encounter should have to end in a build-off," it has worked to emphasize good old-fashioned shootouts by making structures less effective and reliable.
Some people—usually the people who reflexively say "I just don't like the building" whenever you so much as mention Fortnite—are glad to see building minimized. But many diehard players worry Epic is phasing out the feature that makes Fortnite stand out from other battle royale games, and hope to see building remain relevant. Needless to say, if it is released, the heavy sniper will tip the needle toward the former group.
