Fortnite has a lot of different mobility items. And the competitive scene is especially focused on these items. But mobility items might cause a problem next season, at least according to the latest leaks.
Fortnite Chapter 5 has found a great balance for movement with the Grappler, Crash Pad Jr. and Flowberry items. But this balance might soon be disrupted.
According to the latest leaks, wings for flying and Golden Apples that provide a speed boost are coming to the game. What does that mean for Fortnite Competitive?
Fortnite Competitive: What Will Change In Chapter 5 Season 2?
We're used to seeing mobility items change over time in Fortnite, and so far it has always been refreshing to watch and play. But when mobility items are too strong and too easy to acquire, it can really hurt competitive play, which relies on establishing an even playing field.
That's our number one fear when it comes to the newly leaked wings, and perhaps even the Golden Apple. Fortnite leaker iFireMonkey also suspects this.
Fortnite Competitive recently posted on X, formerly Twitter: "You know how to walk or sprint in competition? Let's say you could do something else...". This teaser fueled the wings rumors even more.
With Fortnite Competitive teasing a new movement, I assume in Chapter 5 - Season 2 we may get a mythic/item that will allow us to fly for a short duration, maybe wings similar to the teaser from @MarkRein pic.twitter.com/40r3GgBsq9
— iFireMonkey (@iFireMonkey) March 5, 2024
So, it might be that the wings could replace both old items. The same goes for the Golden Apple and the Flowberries. Both are consumable items that have a certain effect on your movement for a short period of time.
What Does This Mean For Competitive?
The competitive community was very positive about the movement last season. The Grappler recharged over time and could protect players from fall damage but also had its disadvantages.
Its range was not too high and shortly after activating, players stood still in the air for a brief moment. This, combined with the post-grapple phase where you cannot build or shoot, made a player an easy target. Especially in FNCS, players were often lasered for this reason (also because server lags made them stand still longer than intended).
The same goes for the Crash Pad Jr. It is great for covering long distances quickly, but it cannot be recharged. Also, this variant cannot be used to exploit into enemy boxes, which many players thought was a good change.
The switch from Flowberries to Golden Apples is understandable. This change will most likely make sprinting even more important because the apple should give you infinite stamina for a certain time. In the future, very good players will distinguish themselves from good players mainly through mastering the sprint mechanic in building and fighting. The wings are also said to consume stamina, which would make the golden apples even more effective.
But, as we said, we are slightly concerned about the power of these wings. We will need to see how these new items are balanced in the official patch notes, but we could easily see them being very strong.
We're excited to see which mobility items will remain in the game next season and how the new ones will play out. So, enjoy a few more Flowberries, and we wish you a good rotation into the new season!