Is Fortnite Season 3 bad for Competitive?

Fortnite
June 29, 2020
Jordan Ashley

Fortnite Season 3 has gotten off to a bit of a rocky start. The map is covered in water, which while novel is getting a bit irritating. The balance of vehicles and mobility has been completely thrown out of whack. That’s not even to mention the NPCs that’ll one-shot you in mid-air halfway across the map. Does Fortnite Season 3 suck for competitive? A lot of pros are saying so. Let’s take a closer look.

Does Fortnite Season 3 Suck for Competitive?

© Fortnite

A lot of people aren’t happy with some of Fortnite’s recent developments. Sure, the backlash isn’t quite at mech level yet. However, it might end up approaching that kind of outrage if problems aren’t solved. Let’s take a look at what the problems with the season are, to figure out if Fortnite season 3 sucks for competitive or if this is just the usual suspects complaining for views.

What are the Competitive problems for Fortnite Season 3?

Fortnite Season 3 has brought some new stuff to casual players, but these things aren’t as welcome competitively. These are the major problems you’ll see brought up to say that Fortnite Season 3 sucks for competitive:

  • Loot Pool – The loot pool for Fortnite season 3 competitive is a lot bigger than the last two seasons. To be fair, this is closer to Chapter 1’s normal balance instead of the smaller pool of Chapter 2. This makes it difficult to find what you’re looking for though. Finding a decent AR can feel like a needle in a haystack. This is kind of an issue.
  • Mobility – Mobility has sucked since Chapter 2 started. Boats and helicopters have their place, but they can be too easily exploited in certain locations. The Season 3 map so far greatly favors whoever grabs a helicopter quickly. That isn’t fun, nor does it encourage high-level play.
  • POIs – Too many POIs are gone entirely at the moment. With half the map not exactly accessible unless you have a mobility option to rotate out of there without exposing yourself on a long swim.
  • NPCs – The marauders are a bit screwy. They’re more of a threat than previous bands of NPCs. Then there are the sharks, which can leap through buildings to bite you. Things are a bit weird out there at the moment.

These are all problems. However, these might be a bit blown out of proportion. If we take a look at how long this is due to last, or the case against, Fortnite Season 3 competitive doesn’t come out so badly.

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The Case for Fortnite Season 3 Competitive

This is always something competitive players complain about. However, the loot pool isn’t all that bad. Players have just gotten used to the small pools of the last two seasons. This is actually a return to what made Fortnite so interesting to in older seasons. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but shockwave launchers and other wackier items are livening things up in a big way. The main issue seems to be with making the high tier items one of a kind, locked behind killing an NPC.

Mobility and POIs

The mobility options and by extension, the map itself that relies on them, are more of a problem. The main defense here is that this isn’t permanent. Epic is going to be rolling back the water to reveal a fuller map over time. Cars are coming into the game when that happens. At the moment, the mobility and map balance is a hassle. However, it isn’t going to last all season. When the proper competitive events start, the water and mobility should be in a better place.

NPCs

Little to say in their favor, these guys do need a nerf. As a lot of people have demonstrated, NPCs and Sharks are kind of a nightmare.

Got Headshot Sniped Mid Air By A Deadeye Marauder… WTF🤬 from FortniteCompetitive

Is Fortnite Season 3 Bad for the Competitive Mode?

Fortnite Season 3 has its problems. It definitely needs some changes. The map changes specifically are welcome to come faster rather than slower. However, at the moment it seems the game is having a few weeks to focus on casual play. There is nothing wrong with this. As long as the mobility and map problems are looking better by the next major tournament, Fortnite competitive seems fine. There is an instinct to declare every season to be the death of competitive Fortnite. However, change isn’t always bad. Fortnite keeps things fresh with constant updates. That is part of what makes it what it is, sometimes it misses the mark and sometimes the additions are great. As long as the major problems are fixed before the next big tournament, Fortnite is looking pretty healthy at the moment.

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