Leaked: Fortnite’s Rarest Weapon Returning After 8 Years

Fortnite developers are ever-evolving the Battle Royale landscape by unveiling new weapons and occasionally reviving fan-favorites from past seasons. Recently, a significant leak has surfaced indicating the potential return of a highly coveted weapon that only graced the game for a mere 30 minutes during its formative days: the Zapotron.

On January 14, renowned Fortnite leaker HYPEX shared a revelation on their Twitter/X account, stating: “The Zapotron confirmed returning to OG soon.” While this iconic weapon is indeed set to return, players should note that its revival will only occur in the throwback Fortnite OG mode.

THE ZAPOTRON CONFIRMED RETURNING TO OG SOON 🔥• Damage: 50-150 Body, 125-375 Head & 1,000 Builds• 2 seconds Charging Time for more Damage• Uses “Energy Cells”for Ammo pic.twitter.com/49D4ufly5C

— HYPEX (@HYPEX) January 14, 2025

The leaked details regarding the Zapotron’s specifications are as follows:

Base Damage: 50-150
Headshot Damage: 125-375
Structure Damage: 1,000
Charging Time: 2 seconds
Ammo Type: Energy Cells

Unsurprisingly, this announcement quickly gained traction on social media, amassing over 10,000 likes as players expressed a mixture of excitement and disbelief. One enthusiastic gamer replied, “HOLY S**T IS THIS REAL?!” echoing the sentiments of many fans. Others shared their personal experiences, with one player recalling their only opportunity to wield the weapon back when it was first introduced—only to have it yanked from the game shortly thereafter.

Some players opted for humor, with comments like, “Imagine they add it for 30 minutes then vault it again,” or, “‘Returning’? Bro, we never played this s**t before!” highlighting both nostalgia and skepticism among the community.

Exploring the Legendary Zapotron Weapon

Fortnite Save The World mode — Epic Games

To understand the hype, it’s essential to know about the Zapotron itself. This unique weapon was available briefly during Fortnite’s Battle Royale phase in 2017, specifically within Season 0, before the official debut of Season 1. At that time, Fortnite was primarily focused on its single-player Save The World mode.

The Zapotron stands out as a Hitscan Sniper Rifle, notable for its ability to deliver powerful shots. It can be fired in two modes: charged shots, which deliver up to 150 damage, or quick bursts that inflict a base damage of 50. Equipped with a 2.5x headshot multiplier and no damage drop-off, this weapon offers significant advantages during gameplay. The 2-second charging mechanism allows players to deal up to 3x the damage, making it an exceptionally potent choice.

Due to its overwhelming power, Epic Games opted to remove the Zapotron only half an hour after its introduction to the Battle Royale mode. Since that brief period, it has remained exclusive to the Save the World mode, meaning that a vast number of players have never experienced its capabilities firsthand. For many in the community, the anticipated return of the Zapotron feels like the unveiling of an entirely new weapon.

This leak comes on the heels of the v33.20 update, which introduced novel content, including two Hatsune Miku skins and a Miku-themed Music Pass for Season 7 of the Fortnite Festival. Additionally, the update set the stage for the highly anticipated Godzilla vs. Kong event, further amplifying excitement within the game’s community.

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