The decision to firstly add and then later disable the glider redeploy mechanic in Fortnite has caused a stir in the community, but SypherPK is on the side which says the game is better without it.
Originally, players could only deploy their glider at the start of a match when dropping into the map, but after the ‘Soaring’ LTM tested out glider redeploy being allowed when jumping from a certain height, Epic Games decided to add the feature to all modes.
Many players were vocally against the change, primarily because it made it too easy for opponents to escape fights by simply skydiving from their builds, but some felt the feature improved the speed and fluidity of the gameplay.
Luminosity player and popular streamer Ali ‘SypherPK’ Hassan has made clear which side of the debate he was on, now that glider redeploy has been disabled in standard modes.
While in an engagement with an enemy who had built extremely high above him, SypherPK simply shot down his opponents build, sending them soaring down to their demise from fall damage.
“I miss that so much. This one thing is making me not want redeploy to come back – killing players like that,” he said, as he collects his opponents loot, “they think they’re so good because they know how to build […] and then that’s all they know how to do. Being able to knock these guys and get some easy kills – I don’t know if I can give that up.”
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It sounds like SypherPK is taking a more balanced approach, realizing the benefits of glider redeploy for gameplay, but also pointing on the downsides.
For players who do prefer glider redeploy, it is still active in the Playground mode and in various LTM’s, however the Skydiving ability has been removed as of the v6.30 update.
The debate is still ongoing however, as both casual and competitive players disagree over what is better – redeploy or no redeploy – and Epic Games is simply stuck in the middle, trying to please as many players as possible.
Another top Fortnite player and streamer, Dakotaz, was in agreement with SypherPK, listing the removal of glider redeploy atop his priorities to improve Fortnite.