Fortnite's Dreaded BRUTE Is Back, But With A Very Important Change

In August 2019, Epic Games added a new "weapon" to its hit battle royale game Fortnite called the B.R.U.T.E, a mech suit that could carry two players and cause utter destruction to anything in its path. Though Epic said it had added the mech suit to help inexperienced players get some wins, the weapon/vehicle quickly proved controversial among players.

In an announcement on November 16, Epic revealed some changes that arrived with Fortnite 18.40, not the least of which is the return of B.R.U.T.E., news that not everyone was happy to hear. The item was brought back as part of the "War Effort" part of this season's storyline, meaning it'll be used to battle the monsters next month when the finale arrives.

The newly unvaulted item isn't exactly the same as the one that first arrived in the game in 2019. Epic calls this version the Salvaged B.R.U.T.E., one that was apparently cobbled back together from leftover parts by the island fighters as they prepare for The Convergence.

The Salvaged B.R.U.T.E. lacks the over shield found on the original version, plus the armor has been reduced, meaning it'll be much easier for players to take down these giant mech suits. This should address the controversy that surrounded the item the first time it was available in the game.

Rather than enabling players to easily decimate opponents, Epic says the Salvaged B.R.U.T.E. is now designed to effectively take down hordes of Cube Monsters. Salvaged B.R.U.T.E Stations need to be fully funded with gold bars; players can start donating them now. As a side note, Epic has also added the Shopping Cart "vehicle" back into the game.