The Pump Shotgun is missing from Fortnite when players need it the most

Pump Shotguns have been a part of Fortnite Battle Royale since Season 1 and have received no backlash from the player community ever. They were a must for players to keep in their inventories alongside other weapons.

The Pump used to act as a close-range shotgun that had players on the edge of their seats. They used it to battle out their opponents and be crowned Victory Royale. It was a hitscan weapon, but fired a spread of 10 pellets while using ADS and hipfire.

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The infamous "Double Pump" meta in Fortnite

In Fortnite Season 2, the first-ever meta was discovered by the players. They named the meta a "Double Pump" strategy. The player community started using it to increase its fire rate without any cool-down time, which Epic later patched with an update.

But before Epic patched it, the meta was enjoyed to its full potential by the OG player base, which made Pump Shotguns a fan favorite. It made a huge impact in the competitive side of Fortnite later on and re-defined it.

Pump Shotguns were removed by Fortnite in Season 9 as they introduced the "John Wick" Combat Shotgun with a tighter crosshair. The player community liked it at first but went back to their roots with the Pump in Season X.

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Players need Pump Shotguns in Fortnite Chapter 3 desperately

The Pump Shotgun had been in the game for about 2+ years and was a crucial weapon in securing a win. But ever since the release of Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1, Pumps have been left behind. As have weapons of the past when the island was flipped. Players were left surrounded by new weapons that they don't seem to like currently.

Enter new shotguns such as Striker Pump and Auto Shotgun, which players are not comfortable using to their full potential. The main reason is due to the damage they inflict on their opponents and longer reload times. The OG Pump reigns supreme in a head-to-head vs. the new Striker Pump.

With new ways to move around the island, such as Spider-Man's Web Shooters and Sliding mechanisms, players are "W-Keying" their opponents more than ever. This means that in close combat situations, players like to rely on Pump Shotguns, given the history, to inflict greater damage.

However, with the new Shotguns, players are disappointed with Fortnite and have altogether stopped using them. They are so desperate that they're finding glitches in the game to use the Pump via Vending Machines, but this was patched by Epic Games when they noticed it.

Although players seem to have found a replacement for Shotguns in Stinger SMGs, they desperately wish for their favorite good ol' mate, Pump Shotguns, to return soon.

Note: The article reflects the writer's personal opinion.