What is Hitscan in Fortnite?

Some weapons inside Fortnite it can feel a little shaky compared to others, and some players might wonder why that is. Given the Fortnite is constantly reinventing itself and the combat, it's no surprise that the weapons of 2017 feel very different compared to the weapons of 2024 and Fortnitethe introduction of hit-scan and bullet-throwing weapons will be essential to understanding how the game works.

Fortnite players can enjoy the return of hitscan weapons in Chapter 6 Season 1, and players who want to understand what this actually means and why it's so important to future gameplay can find the answers they need below. Given that Fortnite typically has two different types of weapon scanning and projectile-based, it's essential to understand each of them to know what to look out for when it comes to shooting targets with confidence.

Hitscan in Fortnite explained

• Hitscan Weapon Examples: Assault Rifle, SMG, Pistol

What is hitscan Fortnite? Hitscan weapons have non-physical bullets that are fired from the weapon. This means that fired bullets have no travel time or gravity to shoot at, so aiming at a target and pulling the trigger will see the target take instant damage if a weapon is aimed at them. Essentially, a hit-scan weapon requires players to aim and fire at their enemy to see the damage done, without having to compensate for distance, and players just need to make sure their reticle and bloom are on target.

Hitscans were incredibly popular in shooter games because all players had to do was aim and shoot without any calculations as to whether or not players needed to aim up to compensate for gravity. Hitscan weapons were removed for the entirety of Chapter 5, but Chapter 6 Season 1 brought hitscan weapons back into the meta where every weapon is now hitscan so players can enjoy a classic approach to the game without the requirement of a more advanced weapon game modern.

The good reasons people preferred hitscan guns came from the fact that throwing bullets required calculation, realism and often unsafe exaggerations, while hitscan was a simple point at a target and shoot them, so many enjoy the return of hitscan weapons in season 1 battle royale chapter 6.

Fortnite bullet drop explained

• Projectile Weapon Examples: Bolt-Action Sniper

Projectile weapons fire a physical bullet that has gravitational physics attached to it, meaning that the fired bullet must be compensated for speed and travel distance before the bullet falls due to gravity. There were projectile weapons Fortnitewith Snipers and DMRs, but have since been completely phased out for Fortnite with Chapter 6 Season 1 and the imminent arrival of Fortnite OG.

This means that a bullet-throwing weapon fires projectiles that shoot actual bullets that must travel to opponents, giving time to dodge or even miss, despite the fact that players will need to adjust their aim based on distance. Projectile weapons dominated Fortnite Battle Royale is a more modern and realistic way to play in Chapter 5, but has since been retired.

There are currently no projectile weapons in Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 1, but the Void Oni Mask is a projectile item.