Fortnite players are unhappy with changes to the storm mechanics in Fortnite Reload that speed up Storm Sickness and cause instant elimination.
The storm is a key feature that drives gameplay. It’s a threat that chips away at your health and forces you to move towards the center of the map.
In Reload mode, players are used to the storm gradually shrinking, giving them time to strategize and stay within the Safe Zone. But things have taken a dramatic turn with the latest patch.
On August 27, Fortnite announced a new patch for Reload that includes loot changes and adjustments to the Storm Circles. Storm Sickness now activates much faster, which means players have less time to find safety.
The developers said they will “continue to monitor Storm Circles in Reload and ensure that things remain fun and action-packed.” However, players are not pleased with this update.
One player noted on Reddit, “It’s kinda annoying that you just straight up die. You don’t even have a timer, so you can’t know how much time you can stay in storm.”
Another pointed out, “It doesn’t go away. So if you touch the storm for a second, even at 100 health, you instantly die.”
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Some players think the change goes too far. “I get preventing heal offs, but that’s a bit extreme,” one said. “Something like a fifteen tick, or twenty tick is a little tamer if you want to go for extreme, but still let players access the storm for a few seconds.”
A “healoff” strategy is when players camp in the storm, chugging health kits to outlast opponents in the endgame.
Epic Games enforced this insta-kill Storm Sickness to send a clear message: sitting outside the storm with a backpack full of med-kits isn’t how they want the game played. However, players have made it clear they find the dev’s solution excessive.
Despite the storm changes, Reload mode remains popular. It’s the preferred mode of Fortnite streamer Ninja, who called the current chapter “for losers.”
If you’re curious about all the changes in Reload, check out the full patch notes for more details.
