Fortnite players divided as Heavy Sniper Rifle gets vaulted in new update

The Heavy Sniper Rifle was taken out of rotation in the latest Fortnite v25.11 update, meaning it can no longer be used across Battle Royale matches. Players are clearly split on whether or not Epic Games made the right call with this change. Here’s what they had to say about the removal of the weapon from the game.

The latest v25.11 update for Fortnite was published earlier today, introducing two new augments – a Slap Splashes consumable item, and an Explosive Repeater Rifle, which replaces the Heavy Sniper Rifle that players have been using for long-range warfare.

Now that the weapon has been vaulted, it’s caused quite a stir in the online community, with players taking varying views on the decision made by Epic Games. Even though the Explosive Repeater Rifle has pleased players with its explosive bullets that deal some substantial damage to opponents, the only scoped long range rifle currently in-game is the Thermal DMR.

With the vaulting of the Heavy Sniper Rifle, both campers and competitive players have their own take on the change in the loot pool of Fortnite. Here’s what they had to say about it.

Epic Games

The Heavy Sniper Rifle has been a weapon of choice for campers in Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 3.

Players divided as Heavy Sniper Rifle gets vaulted in Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 3

Despite receiving multiple nerfs throughout Chapter 4 Season 2, the Heavy Sniper Rifle remained an important weapon for many players in Season 3 because to its vast range. Due to its incredible damage output in a single shot mag, the weapon became known as a “one shot sniper” among players.

The sniper was recently removed from Battle Royale and Zero Build after the launch of the new Explosive Repeater Rifle, which is similar to the Hunting Rifle. Campers who favor high ground and want to scope their enemies from afar and eliminate them, were big fans of the Heavy Sniper.

Sweaty players, on the other hand, have hailed Fortnite for finally vaulting it because they enjoy being on the move and dislike campers who eliminate them with the one-shot weapon. One such gamer tweeted, “Finally, no more sniper campers in hill,” adding to the ongoing discussion about campers.

Another user, who has been regularly targeted by snipers while doing challenges, responded, “Yes, now I can travel with cars to do my challenges without instantly getting shot down by a team full of heavy snipers.”

In response to the argument, a player who was skilled with the snipers and swift at scoping down their opponents said, “Come on! Wow, this game will be totally changed now, smh,” and went on to complain that the new DMR too worked nothing like the old one.

One countered, “But the new explosive repeater might be cool,” suggesting optimism for the new replacement weapon. While players weigh the pros and cons of the change online, the newest Explosive Repeater Rifle is available as a potential asset for those who favor mid- to long-range engagements.

If you wish to try out the latest weapon, check out our guide on how to get it in Fortnite.