Fortnite v9.30 content update introduces Drum Shotgun

This week’s Fortnite update is here and brings a new weapon to alter the meta. While the v9.30 content update doesn’t hold much, the introduction of the Drum Shotgun promises to shake the game up.

Epic Games teased the arrival of the Drum Shotgun yesterday through the in-game news feed. Solely by looking at the teaser image, we could see some potential issues. While not all of those issues came to fruition, the Drum Shotgun presents an interesting dilemma among players.

Let’s dive into what the Drum Shotgun brings to Fortnite along with the rest of the v9.30 content update.

Does the Drum Shotgun have a place in Fortnite?

As with any new Fortnite weapon, there is the potential for it to be vastly overpowered. We’ve seen this in the past with a number of different weapons. However, we’ve also seen items come out that are so below par that they’re not worth picking up in any situation.

So where does the Drum Shotgun land on this spectrum? Somewhere in the middle. It is certainly worth a pick-up in any stage of the game, but it doesn’t possess the power of its other Shotgun counterparts (Tactical Shotgun excluded).

Here are the official stats on the weapon from the Patch Notes:

• Available in Common, Uncommon, and Rare variants.
• Clip size of 12
• 45 / 47 / 50 damage per shot.
• Available from Floor Loot, Vending Machines, and Loot Carriers

The one statistic that really stands out is the clip size. Having 12 shots in a single magazine is quite the advantage in a long build battle. In addition to this, the damage outputs are fairly reasonable given the fact that this is a semi-automatic weapon.

However, in most situations, a Pump or Combat Shotgun is still the better choice. In order to kill an enemy with full shields, you need to hit four shots with the Drum Shotgun. The Pump or Combat usually only need two to three shots.

The Drum Shotgun isn’t a totally worthless addition, especially in competitive playlists, but it still does not compare to the pump-action shotguns.

The second week of 14 Days of Summer kicks off

Also in the v9.30 content update are details on the last week of the 14 Days of Summer event. Every day until next Tuesday, Fortnite will add a vaulted into the game for 24 hours. It will also release a new LTM each day.

If you log in each day for this event, you will receive special rewards and a set of free challenges. So hop in while there’s still time!

Keep up with Daily Esports for all Fortnite news and updates.