Fortnite Chapter 7 started with a bang by destroying the Battle Bus, which players used to deploy onto the island at the start of a match. Since then, fans have had to surf onto land and collect pieces to put the blue vehicle back together. The change, while massive, never seemed permanent. But given that seasons tend to last a few months, few were probably expecting Epic Games to revert to old faithful less than a week into the new chapter.
Surfing, by all accounts, has been a mixed bag. While some players enjoyed the change of pace, others deeply hated the new mechanic. Personally, I found that surfing often kept me relegated to early portions of the map. The Battle Bus normally takes a random route across the island, which allows players to choose where and when to drop. Most areas are somewhat accessible with the Battle Bus, whereas surfing concentrated spawn areas for everyone. When most people are vying for the same resources in limited spaces, Fortnite becomes a sweaty, exasperating mess. The start of a new season is always rough and requires adjustment. But while I’ve found myself getting into the groove of new weapons, areas, and mechanics like self-revive, I haven’t yet warmed up to surfing.
Since the new chapter began in late November, though, Epic Games has been teasing the return of the Battle Bus. Players can see the progress in ‘rebuilding’ the automobile on the island. Things have moved quickly, and after just a few days, the Battle Bus is nearly complete:
According to leakers with a proven track record, the Battle Bus will return in full on Thursday, Dec. 4. Though Epic Games has not confirmed the date on social media or the game’s official blog as of this writing, given the rapid progress of the fixes and the near-complete state of the Battle Bus, these claims certainly seem credible.
Good timing, too. As much as I’ve disliked surfing, hearing complaints about it has been even worse. And while it’s surprising to see Epic Games move this quickly, the chapter as a whole remains a massive shake-up for the battle royale. As fans know, you can now speedily roll away while down, drive the Reboot Van, or self-revive altogether. You can also turn into field bosses, who have special powers and bigger health bars — at the cost of telling everyone else where you are. Surfing changes up the typical flow of a match, but while it’s been active, Fortnite still pops you into the air at the end of the landing anyway.
Besides, now we can stop mourning the Battle Bus driver, too.
