The Winterfest event in Fortnite has officially concluded. The Winter Lodge is no longer accessible, and several themed items have been vaulted. Removed items include the peppermint candy, blizzard grenade, icy feet, and presents. While these items were intended to be vaulted, some players encountered presents in matches, a curious anomaly. Additionally, Winterfest NPCs, such as Santa at Mass Meadows, the Snoop Dog NPC at Crackshot’s Cabin, Mariah Carey NPC, and Sergeant Winter near the crashed plane, have all been removed. The battle bus has reverted to its regular appearance, though snow remains on the map temporarily, slowly disappearing over time. The additional chests tied to Christmas trees have also been removed, leaving fewer chests at various points of interest (POIs). Also, this update includes the return of the Fortnite Kinetic Blade.
New Items in the Loot Pool
Three items joined the loot pool in this update: the Fortnite Kinetic Blade, the lock-on pistol, and the ranger AR. Among these, the kinetic blade stands out as a fan-favorite ability item. This versatile melee weapon can be found in regular chests, floor loot, and specific katana racks. The racks for the typhoon blade, however, do not drop the kinetic blade. The weapon features two abilities: a melee attack activated with the shoot button and a dash mobility activated with the aim-down-sight button. The dash direction is intuitive, depending on the player’s angle.
The kinetic blade has three charges, each dash consuming one. Charges regenerate after a few seconds. A new durability aspect has been introduced in Chapter 6, similar to the typhoon blade. Each melee attack and dash consumes durability, allowing for a maximum of 20 dashes before the weapon breaks. Despite some community complaints about durability, many players find it manageable, especially when relying on vehicles for map traversal and reserving the blade for combat situations.
Comparing the Fortnite Kinetic Blade and Typhoon Blade
The kinetic blade’s dash ability remains a strong mobility option, though not as dominant compared to other current mobility items like shockwave grenades or the void mask. While the kinetic blade offers balanced gameplay, counterable by opponents with good aim, it’s overshadowed by faster or more versatile mobility tools. As a melee weapon, the kinetic blade delivers less impact than the typhoon blade. The kinetic blade’s melee hits deal around 70 damage, and its animation can leave users vulnerable if the first attack misses. In contrast, the typhoon blade offers better melee versatility and mobility, making it a stronger choice for melee-focused players.
Other Items: Lock-On Pistol and Ranger AR
The lock-on pistol, another reintroduced item, allows players to fire normally or lock onto targets for guaranteed hits. The lock-on feature works up to 50 meters and deals 25 damage per shot, with a full lock yielding 100 damage. However, its previous advantage as a hit-scan weapon is less relevant in Chapter 6, as most weapons are now hit-scan rather than projectile. Useful for countering airborne or fast-moving opponents, the lock-on pistol may not appeal to confident players.
The ranger AR, also added back to the loot pool, struggles to find a place among current weapons. Its slower fire rate and reliance on bloom make it less effective than the hollow twister AR or fury AR. With better alternatives available for both long and medium-range combat, the ranger AR feels outclassed in most situations.
