Fortnite’s latest hotfix shakes up Chapter 7 Season 1 with the Battle Bus back in action, classic modes Reload and Blitz making a return, and several balance adjustments that could change match dynamics overnight.
Furthermore, the new weapons and becoming a boss feature have been quite popular among players, which has made Battle Royale lobbies sweatier than ever before. However, right as the new season enters its first week and players banded together to bring the Battle bus back online, the first update of the season has arrived as players get ready to thank the Bus Driver once again and drop into Blitz and Reload, two modes coming back online. Here are the full patch notes for the December 4 Fortnite hotfix.
Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1 December 4 Full Patch Notes
Epic Games rolled out the December 4 hotfix for Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1, reactivating the Battle Bus after downtime and bringing back Reload and Blitz modes to the playlist rotation. Players now access these fan-favorite options alongside standard Battle Royale and Zero Build matches. The update addresses stability issues from launch, with minor tweaks to item spawn rates and storm timing for smoother gameplay. Zero reports of new bugs surfaced post-patch, letting squads focus on victory royales.
The Fortnite December 4 hotfix arrives without a downtime in Chapter 7 Season 1, but a downloadable patch of roughly 2.5 GB is now available to update your game, so get started before you jump into the game.
Blitz Smashes In with New Map and Loot
Fortnite Blitz has finally been activated, and it brings the new Chapter 7 Season 1 weapons to the game. Weapons like Iron Pump Shotgun, Grenade, Arc Lightning Gun, Grenade, and Twin Hammer Shotguns have replaced the entire loot pool. Furthermore, Self Revive and Wingsuit are also added to the pool to accommodate the fast-paced gameplay of Blitz.
New Starfall island is full of three new POIs called Holloway House, Ritzy Redux, and Boutique Bay, and players can find new Kickstart Quests to complete to unlock a special style for Cat Holloway in the new Battle Pass.
New Reload Map with Mastery Rewards
Reload also gets a massive update, where the loot pool has received a major revamp alongside the gameplay. Players get a new Reload map with three new POIs, namely Sus Studios, Sweaty Shores, and Divey Dam, that players can explore, and use the newly added Wingsuit to roam around. Furthermore, quality of life updates include more expressive hit markers, a gold bar overhaul, ammo status indicators, and the inclusion of the Simple Build feature.
The Rank Reset has also been initiated, and players can complete Mastery Quests to unlock a free wrap, emote, and finally the Battle Pass exclusive style for Carter Wu.
In the next Reload update, players will get an option to Storm Surf onto the island. The update will also bring a new class of weapons called Morphite Weapons. These will work similarly to the Chrome weapons from Chapter 2 Season 8 that will evolve over the match as you rack up XP.
The weapons that will receive a Morphite update will be Morphite Tac Shotgun, Morphite SMG, Morphite Pump Shotgun, Morphite Hand Cannon, Morphite AR, and Morphite Heavy AR.
Battle Royale December 4 Hotfix
Battle Bus is back online in Battle Royale, and now players can freely land on the island at a spot of their liking. Furthermore, the hotfix has also made changes to boss abilities that players can gain after defeating a boss and claiming their medallion. Here are the full adjustments:
- AI Boss Skill Level increased by 50%:
- 1200 –> 1800
- AI Henchmen Fans’ Skill Level increased by 50%:
- 800 –> 1200
- Outgoing damage reduction (nerf multiplier to damage received from AI boss) increased by 20%:
- 0.25x –> 0.30x
- Boss Skydive Speed Multiplier increased by 50%:
- 1x –> 1.5x
How do the new Blitz weapons compare to previous meta
The new Blitz weapons in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1’s December 4 hotfix introduce a refreshed loot pool tailored for the mode’s fast-paced storm timings, emphasizing close-to-mid-range combat with higher DPS and mobility synergy compared to the broader Chapter 6 meta, which favored versatile ARs like the OXR Rifle and Wrecker Revolver for sustained fights.
Key Blitz Weapons
-
Iron Pump Shotgun: Tops elims charts at 1.67 per match with 36% accuracy and 338 damage per match, offering tighter pellet spread and faster handling than Chapter 6’s Sovereign Shotgun (1.33 elims, lower DPS), making it dominant in CQC over previous pump metas.
-
Twin Hammer Shotguns: Dual-wield design yields 1.67 elims and 186 damage per match at 27% accuracy; outperforms single-shot Chapter 6 options like Enhanced Havoc (lower fire rate) by doubling output in Blitz’s quick rotations.
-
Arc Lightning Gun: High burst potential with chain lightning for groups, edging out Chapter 6 explosives in mobility-focused Blitz by pairing better with Wingsuits, though less reliable at range than Deadeye ARs (1.43 elims).
Meta Comparison
| Weapon | Elims/Match (Blitz) | DPS Edge vs Ch6 Meta | Role Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Pump | 1.67 | +20% over Sovereign | CQC king, less pellet RNG |
| Twin Hammers | 1.67 | Double output vs single pumps | Aggro duels, storm pressure |
| Deadeye AR | 1.43 | Similar to OXR but faster TTK hipfire | Mid-range filler, less recoil |
Blitz’s pool prioritizes shotguns (top 3 elims) over ARs from prior metas, suiting smaller maps and quicker storms, while retaining Self-Revive for forgiveness absent in Chapter 6’s slower lobbies.
Which Blitz weapons have the highest DPS now
In Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1’s Blitz mode, updated via the December 4 hotfix, shotguns dominate the highest DPS rankings due to the mode’s emphasis on close-quarters combat and rapid storm closes, with the Twin Hammer Shotguns and Iron Pump Shotgun leading for their sustained output and quick handling.
Top DPS Weapons
-
Twin Hammer Shotguns: Deliver around 186-228 damage per match with dual-wield fire rates enabling 200+ effective DPS bursts, surpassing single-shot alternatives from prior metas by doubling pressure in duels.
-
Iron Pump Shotgun: Peaks at 338 damage per match and 1.67 elims with tighter spreads for 150+ DPS on hits, outpacing Chapter 6 pumps like Sovereign by 20% in TTK reliability.
-
Arc Lightning Gun: Offers burst chain DPS up to 212 (comparable to mythic ARs) for groups, though inconsistent at range; edges explosives in mobility pairings.
DPS Rankings Table
| Weapon | Est. DPS | Elims/Match | Notes vs. Prior Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Hammers | 200+ | 1.67 | Doubles output over single pumps |
| Iron Pump | 150+ | 1.67 | Tighter spread, faster cycles |
| Arc Lightning Gun | 212 | High | Group burst > explosives |
| Deadeye AR | 140-156 | 1.43 | Mid-range filler, hipfire TTK |
These prioritize CQC over AR sustain from Chapter 6, amplified by Blitz’s loot pool and Self-Revives for aggressive plays.
