Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2: Showdown is a faction‑war season on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Switch, and mobile that revolves around the new Rivalry system, a near‑full loot pool reset, and a four‑POI map shake‑up. You pick Team Foundation or Team Ice King, win Rivalries to push your side forward, and unlock new items like Seven‑themed gloves and exotic variants as the season progresses.
| Weapon | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chaos Reloader Shotgun | Close‑range opener | One powerful shot, auto‑reloads while stowed |
| Vector 7 DMR | Mid‑ to long‑range beam | High damage, projectile rounds |
| Bouncing Boomstick | Explosive utility | Area control and structure breaking |
| Nemesis AR | Flexible mid‑range rifle | Familiar AR feel, updated pool return |
| Thunder Burst SMG | Close‑range spray | Burst SMG with high DPS |
If you are a new or returning battle royale player, the short version is this: expect different guns in almost every slot, more aggressive mid‑game hunts thanks to Rivalries, and key fights around the new Dark Dominion, Frigid Fortress, Squibbity/Squibbly Shores, and Sanctuary POIs. The fundamentals of Fortnite Chapter 7 BR are the same, but how you move, loot, and choose fights has changed a lot this season.
Quick start: what to focus on first
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Pick a faction (Team Foundation or Team Ice King) the first time you log into Chapter 7 Season 2.
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Land at a new POI like Frigid Fortress or Squibbly Shores to grab the latest weapons early.
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Start a Rivalry at a Rivalry Screen or pickup and track the marked enemy on your map.
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Win the duel to earn Rival Credits, then spend them at Rivalry Gear machines on exotics or weapon upgrades.
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Use new mobility options (Overdrive Grenades, Skyline Deployer) to rotate between POIs and third‑party fights.
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Check the Showdown/faction progress page regularly to see which new items are about to enter the loot pool.
What changed most in Chapter 7 Season 2?
Chapter 7 Season 2 Showdown makes three big structural changes: the Rivalry system, the Foundation vs. Ice King faction war, and a rebuilt weapon pool.
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Rivalry replaces traditional bounties with two‑way hunts where both players are marked and rewarded.
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Factions turn your match‑to‑match Rivalry wins into global progress that unlocks new loot for the whole player base.
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The loot pool is almost entirely different from Chapter 7 Season 1, keeping only the Iron Pump and Twin Hammer shotguns as legacy anchors.
On top of that, you now occasionally see Rift Anomalies that trigger match modifiers like Rivalry Rumble or Storm‑focused events, and one player per round briefly steers the Battle Bus route at the start of the match.
New Rivalry system explained
Rivalry is the main mechanic you interact with every match, and it’s where a lot of your long‑term rewards come from.
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Starting Rivalries
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You activate a Rivalry at special Rivalry Screens on the island or by picking up dropped Rivalry markers when someone in a Rivalry dies.
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Once active, both you and your rival are marked on each other’s HUD and mini‑map within a radius, similar to past bounty systems but symmetrical.
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Rewards and rank
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If you eliminate your rival, you gain Rival Credits and increase your Rivalry Rank.
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Rival Credits are spent at Rivalry Gear machines (Rivalry computers) to buy exotic weapons, unlock perks, or upgrade weapon rarity, combining the old upgrade bench and exotic vendor into one station.
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Global events
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Special events like Rivalry Rumble can briefly throw everyone into Rivalries at once, increasing the credit gain but also the risk of being hunted.
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Expert insight: in practice, you can chain several Rivalries in a single game, using them as a built‑in way to find action instead of chasing random shots or hoping for third parties.
Team Foundation vs. Team Ice King: which should you pick?
You’re asked to choose Team Foundation or Team Ice King as soon as you load into Chapter 7 Season 2 Showdown. That choice sticks for the season but affects cosmetics more than gameplay.
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How factions work
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Every Rivalry you win earns points for your faction on a global leaderboard.
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As both sides hit shared milestones, new items such as Seven Power Gloves and Seven‑themed exotics are added to the BR loot pool for all players.
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At season’s end, the team with more points decides which bonus Battle Pass outfit style unlocks for everyone with the pass (Frost‑Ready Foundation vs. Exalted Frost Ice King).
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Is one faction stronger?
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Current information confirms that both factions share the same milestone reward track, so there is no gameplay power difference between picking Foundation or Ice King.
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The real distinction is cosmetic: The Foundation already has a launch‑week bonus style for early Battle Pass buyers, which makes Team Ice King slightly more appealing if you care about balancing style counts.
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If you just want the “better” team in terms of cosmetics, many players lean Ice King to even out the number of styles between the two characters by the end of the season.
New weapons and loot pool highlights
Most of Chapter 7 Season 1’s guns are gone, making room for a new lineup built around a few standout weapons.
Key returning and new weapons
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Returning anchors
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Iron Pump Shotgun and Twin Hammer Shotgun are the only major weapons confirmed to carry over from last season’s general pool.
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New core weapons
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Vector 7 DMR – mid‑ to long‑range precision rifle with high body and headshot damage, using projectile bullets.
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Chaos Reloader Shotgun – single‑shell, high‑damage shotgun that reloads over time even when stowed, rewarding timed opening shots.
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Bouncing Boomstick – explosive launcher‑style weapon for area denial and structure pressure.
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Returning from older chapters
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Nemesis AR – flexible assault rifle option, now part of the updated pool again.
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Thunder Burst SMG – burst‑style SMG with strong close‑range pressure.
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Beyond these, the season features a rotating set of exotics and mythics unlocked through Rivalries, bosses, and faction milestones, including Seven Power Gloves and an exotic Rift‑creating variant of the Vector 7 DMR.
New map POIs and where to land
The Chapter 7 Season 2 island keeps its overall shape but swaps out four major locations and layers in new boss encounters.
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Frigid Fortress – replaces Clawsy/Clausy Lodge and acts as the Ice King’s home base in a new ice biome.
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Sanctuary – replaces Classified Canyon with a Seven‑themed stronghold for Foundation‑aligned story beats.
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Squibbly/Squibbity Shores – takes over Bumpy Bay with a coastal layout and a boss that drops powerful loot.
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Dark Dominion – replaces Lethal Labs with a darker, high‑tier combat zone.
If you’re returning after a break, these are the best first drops because they force you to learn the new loot routes, boss patterns, and common Rivalry hotspots early.
Mobility, Battle Bus driving, and anomalies
Movement and match pacing also get a shake‑up this season.
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Overdrive Grenades
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Light‑version Shockwaves that push you without breaking builds, grant a brief unlimited‑sprint effect, increased run speed, and a floatier jump.
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Skyline Deployer (zipline launcher)
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Fires a zipline and automatically pulls you along once it anchors, after which you can glide from height.
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Strong for rotations but leaves you very exposed while riding and gliding, so use it with cover in mind.
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Player‑driven Battle Bus
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One player can briefly steer the Battle Bus path at match start before bailing, potentially shifting the usual early‑drop hotspots.
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Rift Anomalies
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Mid‑match anomalies can trigger special events such as Rivalry Rumble or Storm Focus, changing where players cluster and what rewards are available.
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