Fortnite Update v38.10: Epic Games Deploys Weapon Balance Changes and New Arsenal to Shake Up the Simpsons Season Meta

The November 11 Hotfix: Balancing the New Arsenal Amidst the Donut Storm

Following the major content drop for the Fortnite Simpsons Season, Epic Games deployed update v38.10 on November 11, 2025. While the update primarily focused on new features—including the debut of the Donut Storm mechanic, the Scratchy Boss, and new Mythic weapons—it also included crucial, behind-the-scenes adjustments to the existing and newly introduced loot pool.1 These weapon buffs and nerfs are designed to prevent the new Exotic and Mythic items from completely dominating the Battle Royale meta, ensuring a balance between the chaotic new features and competitive play. This focus on immediate balance adjustments is critical for maintaining player retention and a fair multiplayer experience.

Initial analysis of the hotfix, derived from data mining and early player testing, points to significant shifts, particularly impacting the newly vaulted Wrecker Revolver and the rising popularity of the Leadspitter 3000 Minigun.

The Official Buffs and Nerfs: Key Weapon Adjustments

The v38.10 Update introduced or adjusted several weapons to tune the overall flow of combat. These changes directly affect the DPS and utility of the items that players are relying on to survive the new Zero Shard chaos.

Major Weapon Buffs: Enhancing Close-Range Consistency

The developers focused on making certain weapons more reliable, particularly those that were deemed too inconsistent for the current competitive meta or those needing a boost to keep up with the new Mythic power creep.

• Leadspitter 3000 Minigun: Recoil and Stability Buffed
  • BUFF: The recoil of the Leadspitter 3000 Minigun has been significantly reduced.
  • Impact: This change is a massive boost to the Minigun’s effectiveness. Reduced recoil makes the weapon more accurate and easier to control at medium ranges, transforming it into a more viable option for sustained damage and suppression fire against building opponents. This counters the initial meta which favored rapid burst damage.
• Swarmstrike Launcher: Damage Multiplier Buffed (Swarm Mode)
  • BUFF: The damage multiplier when the projectile explodes in “Swarm Mode” (against the season’s new insect enemies and bosses) has been increased to 3.56x.
  • Impact: This adjustment reinforces the Swarmstrike Launcher’s role as the premier PvE weapon for clearing the high-density enemy clusters at new POIs like The Hive. While its player damage was moderately reduced in a previous hotfix, this buff maintains its utility as a powerful endgame content tool.

Critical Weapon Nerfs: Targeting Overpowered Combos

The most significant nerfs targeted exploits and weapons that offered too much reward for the skill required, particularly the dominant Wrecker Revolver which had formed an overpowered combo with its duplicate.

• Wrecker Revolver: Damage and Combo Nerfed
  • NERF: Base damage across all rarities has been reduced by 4 damage points (e.g., Legendary: 94 $\rightarrow$ 90).
  • NERF: The ability to perform the “Double Pump” swapping trick with another Wrecker Revolver has been removed.2 The weapon can still be swapped quickly with other shotguns, but the self-synergy is gone.
  • Impact: This is a meta-defining nerf. The Wrecker Revolver was the centerpiece of an extremely potent, high-burst combo. The damage reduction and removal of the dual-revolver swap force players to diversify their loadouts, promoting a healthier weapon diversity in the competitive arena.

The Meta Impact: A Shift Towards Balanced Assault and Utility

These balancing adjustments signal Epic’s desire to move away from the high-risk, high-reward burst meta that dominated the early season and towards a more balanced approach that rewards sustained fire and utility.

• Assault Rifles Rise: With the Leadspitter 3000 Minigun becoming more viable, ARs that offer great consistency, like the Holo Twister Assault Rifle and the O.X.R. Rifle, will likely maintain their S-Tier status as players look for reliable, low-recoil options to pair with a utility item.
• Mobility Curtailed: Alongside weapon changes, mobility items have also been subtly targeted. The Shockwave Grenade saw its spawn rate reduced in previous hotfixes, and Medallions that boost movement speed were nerfed, limiting the aggressive “slide-dash” meta and placing a higher premium on strategic positioning.
• New Mythic Factor: The introduction of new Mythics, such as the Cartoon Chainsaw (obtained by defeating the Scratchy Boss), will inevitably shift the focus of high-level play. These weapons, by their nature, demand unique strategies and will likely become mandatory for endgame content.

The v38.10 update is a critical mid-season adjustment. It demonstrates Epic Games’ ongoing commitment to iterative balance, ensuring that the chaotic, fun elements of the Simpsons Season do not entirely break the competitive structure of the Battle Royale game mode.