Fortnite just hit the reset button on almost everything in its loot pool. Chapter 7 Season 2 arrived after nearly four months of Season 1, and Epic Games clearly heard the feedback, because the weapon roster has been almost completely wiped clean and rebuilt from scratch. Only two guns survived the vault.
Here's the thing: this isn't just a few swaps. It's a genuine shakeup that'll force players to relearn what works and what doesn't, right from the first match.
What Stayed, What Got Vaulted
Of all the guns that defined Season 1, only two made the cut into Season 2. The Iron Pump and Twin Hammer shotguns are back, carrying over as the sole survivors of the previous loot pool. Everything else? Gone.
Notably, Shockwave Grenades have been vaulted again, continuing their on-again, off-again relationship with Battle Royale. After all the drama they caused last season, Epic pulled them at the start of Season 2 and replaced them with two entirely new movement options.
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Shockwave Grenades are vaulted at Season 2 launch. If your rotations relied on them, you'll need to adapt to the new movement items fast.
The Three Brand-New Weapons
Epic introduced three weapons that have never appeared in Fortnite before:
- Vector 7 DMR , a new designated marksman rifle filling the mid-to-long range gap
- Chaos Reloader Shotgun , a fresh close-range option joining the two returning shotguns
- Bouncing Boomstick , an explosive weapon that, based on the name alone, sounds chaotic in the best way
Rounding out the pool are returning favorites like the Nemesis AR and the Thunder Burst SMG, giving players a familiar backbone while they get comfortable with the new additions.
New Season 2 weapon drops
New Ways to Move Around the Map
With Shockwave Grenades out, two new movement items take the spotlight. The Overdrive Grenade works similarly to a Shockwave in that it launches you into the air, but it also grants a speed boost. The catch: fall damage is very much in play, so launching yourself off a cliff without a plan is a fast way to lose HP.
The Skyline Deployer is the more creative of the two. It lets you attach a zipline to virtually any surface, including floating balloons in the air. The possibilities for aggressive pushes and surprise rotations are genuinely interesting.
Later in the season, Seven Power Gloves are also confirmed to arrive, described as sounding a lot like a new take on Chapter 5's Nitro Fists.
The Rivalry System Changes How You Play
Beyond the weapons, Season 2 introduces the Rivalry system, which adds a social layer to every Battle Royale match. Rivalry Screens placed around the island let you declare another player as your personal enemy for that match. Beating rivals earns a special in-game currency that unlocks exclusive loot.
What most players miss: the system is entirely opt-in. Epic confirmed that players who never interact with the Rivalry Screens will be far less likely to be targeted by others. Use them constantly, though, and you paint a target on yourself. It's a risk-reward loop that adds real tension to how you approach each match.
The broader season narrative pits Team Foundation against Team Ice King, with the winning faction's supporters earning a bonus cosmetic style for battle pass owners. Weekly challenges tied to the Showdown kick off with a simple one: earn 50 kills to unlock a pair of kicks. Make sure to check out more:
