Fortnite January 13 Update Adds Stinger SMG Nerf and Auto Shotgun Buff

The recent Fortnite update adds some balance changes to the most popular weapons, the Auto Shotgun and the MK-Seven Assault Rifle.

As Season 1 rolls on, Epic Games is rolling back the effectiveness of those weapons that have really proven to be pretty much strong in the loot pool.

Here is what you need to know.

Auto Shotgun Reload Buff: What to Expect

The Auto Shotgun was introduced at the start of the season, and we were really excited. However, devs have tried since then to find a balance in the weapon’s stats.

The January 13 update comes with a change for the Auto Shotgun. Now, the weapon reload faster and it’s more reliable. From 8.8s/ 8.4s/ 8s/ 7.6s/ 7.2s to 6.2s/ 6s/ 5.7s/ 5.4s/ 5.1s across rarities.

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How cool is that?

Such change was necessary for the Auto Shotgun, especially for those players who want to try it for late-game builds. The weapon counteracts a quick spray of high-damage pellets with the time it actually takes to reload it.

Stinger Nerfed

Stinger SMG’s damage has dropped with the popular weapon copping a nerf so quickly after the Season 3 update. But thanks to the recent update, the weapon’s damage has been reduced from 18/ 19/ 20/ 21/ 22 to 16/ 17/ 18/ 19/ 20 across its legendary, epic, rare, uncommon, and common rarities.

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The Stinger’s skill to shred builds stays the same, even at range. So, the change only brought a slight nerf to keep the SMG guard.

Check out Epic Games’ official post on Twitter to find out more:

Fortnite January 13 Update Patch Notes Details

According to the patch notes, the following changes have been made:

• Slightly lowered MK-Seven Assault Rifle damage
• Upgraded Auto Shotgun reload speed
• Lowered Stinger SMG damage

Stay tuned for more Fortnite news and tips!