Fortnite Season 3 patch notes: the glorious hunting rifle returns, charge shotgun debuts

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3 is here and with it a ton of updates, big (the hunting rifle is back!) and small (headshot damage has been nerfed a touch). Unfortunately, Epic doesn't put out patch notes anymore, so we're left to pick through all the changes ourselves. Lucky for you, I speak Fortnite, so most of the eye-catching stuff stands out immediately and Reddit is on the case sifting through the remainder. Here's a look at the unofficial Fortnite Season 3 patch notes. We'll update with anything else we unearth in the coming days.

Fortnite Season 3 patch notes

Half the map is underwater now, which places a higher emphasis on mobility rather than the usual build battles. With less real estate to build on, getting to and fro either to out run the storm or island hop your way to a better vantage is way more important now. Here's a look at the biggest changes in Fortnite Season 3's map. And, hey, speaking of mobility...

You can water ski behind sharks now. Use a fishing pole to catch a ride. Those suckers can damage you though, so be careful.

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The hunting rifle is back. Thank goodness, my favorite weapon has returned. A long reload and no scope makes this a high skill weapon, but if your mouse aim is just right and you learn to account for a slight drop over distance—phew, it's one of the most satisfying to use in Fortnite history. I'm curious to see where it sits in this new watery meta.

New items:

Charge shotgun
Mythic: Kit's shockwave launcher (a clear ode to TF2's Demoman grenade launcher)
Mythic: Jules' drum gun
Mythic: Jules glider gun
Mythic: Jules' charge shotgun
Mythic: Ocean's burst assault rifle

Unvaulted items:

Hunting rifle
Bolt-action sniper rifle
Chug jugs (Mythic variant will refill over time)
Stink bombs
Compact SMG
Grappler

Vaulted items:

Season 2 mythic items
Pump shotgun

Other changes:

Reports of lower headshot damage across the board are coming in, with the exception of sniper rifles and explosives
Whirlpools scattered around the map, boost you into air and deploy glider
Some chests have legs oh my GOD SOME CHESTS HAVE LEGS
Squads of gun-toting marauders have a chance to drop near you, some guard specific locations

James is stuck in an endless loop, playing the Dark Souls games on repeat until Elden Ring and Silksong set him free. He's a truffle pig for indie horror and weird FPS games too, seeking out games that actively hurt to play. Otherwise he's wandering Austin, identifying mushrooms and doodling grackles.