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Hitscan weapons in Fortnite.
Screenshot by The Escapist.

What Is Hitscan in Fortnite? Answered

Instant travel.

There are a few different projectile types in Fortnite that can directly change the way the weapon functions, such as hitscans. This guide will explain exactly what hitscan means in the game and how you can effectively use it to your advantage.

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Hitscan in Fortnite Explained

Screenshot by The Escapist.

Hitscan in Fortnite means that the bullets from your gun will immediately hit your target at any range or speed. The bullets function more like lasers than they do bullets, which is where the scan comes in. In nearly every single case, a hitscan weapon will outperform projectiles because of how reliable they are in comparison. Not only do you not need to adjust for bullet drop as your enemies get further away, but leading as they sprint also doesn’t matter. With hitscan, you aim directly at your target regardless of the situation.

The other main alternative to hitscan weapons is projectiles. These work like normal bullets more or less and most of the weapons in this season fall under that category. Any gun that makes use of projectiles follows more laws of physics. You need to account for distance before you take a shot. And if you are shooting at a running target, you need to lead your shots. Ultimately, projectile weapons are tougher to get used to in comparison to hitscan.

In rare cases, the last type of ammo you will find in a gun is a beam. These rare weapons don’t really follow under either of the main categories within a shooter. Once the beam is going, it functions like a hitscan weapon but you still need to track the movement. If projectiles are a test of trajectory, beams are the test of a steady hand on a moving target.

Keep in mind that there are different levels of speed for projectiles as well. Projectile-based weapons that have a high bullet velocity, like Stark Weapons, can feel close to hitscan at closer rangers. But even a split-second difference can separate the two categories.

And that’s all there is to know about hitscan weapons.

Fortnite is available now on multiple platforms.


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Author
Image of Dan Wenerowicz
Dan Wenerowicz
Dan Wenerowicz is a Staff Writer at The Escapist, where he helps lead the team's guides coverage of FPS and action games such as Call of Duty, Elden Ring, Diablo 4, and Black Myth: Wukong. He has a Bachelor's in Writing and has worked as a video game journalist for four years, having written and edited for such prominent outlets as Prima Games, Screen Rant, Sportskeeda, GINX TV, and Gfinity. His work has been read by millions of people, and his expertise has helped them better understand and complete video games.