Epic Games exploring new looting system in Fortnite

Calum Patterson

After a fan suggestion on Reddit, Epic Games have said they will investigate a new looting method for Fortnite, that would drastically change the way weapons and items are equipped.

The new looting system would be particularly important for the early game, when players still have empty slots in their inventory, as it would allow players to directly swap weapons rather than new pickups being placed in an empty slot.

All players have five slots for weapons and items, and when a new item is picked up it will always be placed in the first available empty slot, however, this can cause the occasional problem.

Players will often have a preferred slot for each type of weapon (i.e. shotgun in slot 1, rifle in slot 2 and so on), and when an item is placed in the incorrect slot, players will need to manually move it around.

A very simple suggestion from u/sasseries would solve this problem, by allowing players to directly swap whatever weapon they are holding with a weapon/item on the ground.

Epic Games’ very own Eric Williamson, design lead on Fortnite Battle Royale, saw the suggestion and was intrigued, saying that the team would ‘investigate’.

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The news will be a pleasant surprise to many Fortnite players, considering the looting system has generally remained unchanged in the battle royale mode’s history, despite almost every other aspect of the game having evolved.

Epic Games sometimes hint at these changes but never act upon them, so it must be noted that despite Williamson’s comment, this suggestion may never actually come to fruition in game.