Fortnite Version 15.40 is Unvaulting a Classic Weapon

Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 5 has been going since last December, offering fans of the battle royale a number of new cosmetics based on icons of pop culture including Din Djarin from The Mandalorian, Kratos from God of War, and recently Fortnite skins based on the Disney series Tron. It's unlikely Season 6 will start anytime soon given Epic Games' website says the current season lasts until March 15, but a new mid-season update announced by the developer promises a number of additions.

The official Fortnite Status Twitter account posted a warning today that the Version 15.40 update for Epic Games' battle royale will arrive tomorrow, with the game going down for maintenance at 4:00 a.m. ET on February 16. Its initial tweet has a vague-seeming teaser with text reading "knock knock," alongside a door emoji, but more concrete details about the update were provided soon after.

First on the list of additions coming to Version 15.40 is an "unvaulted favorite" that many believe will be the Pump Shotgun due to Fortnite suggesting players can "blast back" with the weapon. The Pump Shotgun was initially vaulted during Season 9 back in May 2019, with Epic Games saying it accounted for 26 percent of all eliminations. It has returned on other occasions, but is almost always subject to scrutiny and balance changes.

Beyond that unvaulted weapon, the Twitter account promises characters will have more Exotics in stock, the return of two limited-time modes - Air Royale and Floor is Lava, and the ability to adjust object/build level of detail in alpha PC Perf Mode. However, there is also a warning that currently unreleased assets and props will be removed from Creative islands currently using them.

It's unclear whether the "knock knock" reference at the top of the Twitter thread is meant to genuinely have players guessing about someone that may be coming to the game, or if it's simply a way for the update to introduce itself. Given the amount of characters added in the current season it could go either way, but no matter what it seems likely fans of the game can expect the Pump Shotgun to return shortly after Fortnite removed the Storm Scout Exotic sniper rifle from competitive playlists.

Luckily, players will not have to wait long to find out given Update 15.40 will be active starting tomorrow. New content mid-way through this current season will likely help keep Fortnite veterans engaged, even as its developer keeps up its pre-planned legal battle with Apple over pricing concerns in the App Store.

Fortnite is in the midst of Season 5, with the Zero Point leading to what is undoubtedly one of the game’s most exciting seasons ever. From Kratos to the T-800, Epic Games has not pulled any punches regarding this season’s crossover characters. There's plenty of potential for unique events to focus on dream matchups that the game has made possible. However, when designing Season 6, Epic Games should consider looking back to the Marvel crossover that took place in Fortnite just one season ago.