New Fortnite Sniper Rifle Leaked: Triple Damage to Vehicles and Potential Game Changer

Fortnite dataminers have revealed in-game footage of an upcoming sniper rifle that reportedly deals three times the damage to vehicles. While the release date for this weapon remains unconfirmed, it could serve as a useful countermeasure against Fortnite's latest meta, which has stirred some controversy.

Chapter 5 Season 3 of Fortnite kicked off on May 24, introducing a significant focus on vehicles. Cars received substantial health upgrades, a rechargeable boost mechanic, and various modifications like the Grenade Launcher Turret and Bulletproof Tires. These enhancements have made vehicle use almost mandatory in the game, but it appears that at least one countermeasure might be introduced later this season.

Dataminers Hypex and AllyJax showcased a clip of the unreleased sniper rifle, which has a heavy-duty, vintage design. This bolt-action rifle can fire only one bullet before needing a reload, which takes just under three seconds. The sniper rifle can also be equipped with attachments, as demonstrated midway through the video. Its slow firing speed implies significant damage potential against opponents, but its primary strength lies in its massive bonus to vehicle damage, assuming the datamined details are accurate. If its damage output is similar to previous weapons like the Heavy and Reaper Sniper Rifles, it would deal approximately 110-130 damage per shot to enemies at lower rarities, translating to a 330-390 damage range per shot to vehicles.

Dealing 330 damage per shot means it would take five shots to destroy a small car after the recent health boosts, and even more to take down Fortnite's War Bus, which has 2,500 HP. However, these figures are speculative, and the sniper rifle might have significantly higher damage values upon release, particularly given its firing rate of one shot every 2.7 seconds or so.

How to Counter Fortnite Vehicles in Season 3

For now, players have some options to counter vehicles. One such option is Fortnite's new Nitro Fists, which allow players to use an uppercut ability to send cars flying and eject passengers. However, there isn't yet a definitive counter for situations involving multiple enemy vehicles.

Given the heavy emphasis on vehicles this season, Epic Games may not introduce a major countermeasure before the season concludes, with the leaked sniper rifle potentially being the closest thing fans can expect. In addition, Fortnite's crossover with Lethal Company has been leaked, promising at least one set of cosmetic items later this season.