The latestFortnite update is undoubtedly one of the best ever to hit the game. Not only is there an all-new map with a fresh aesthetic and design choices, but a new perk upgrade mechanic is taking the game in a brilliant direction. Almost every weapon being viable is the cherry on top. But there’s one big issue plaguing my play experience: a slew of bugs and glitches.

More than in past updates, I’ve run into near match-losing, game-breaking issues in the updated battle royale, and it’s been a deal breaker when it comes to spending as much time playing as I usually do. One of the worst parts is that it seems quite a few of these problems are attached to one of my new favorite weapons and movement tools, the Shockwave Hammer.

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The Shockwave Hammer is one of the essential pickups in Fortnite, as was its predecessor, the Shockwave Grenade. Shockwave-class items send off a quick medium-radius shock wave burst that sends the user flying. Both of these items have multiple uses that make many hardcore and casual players alike rank them at the top of the loot pool. Not only do they allow players to quickly move across the map, but they also help them escape bad situations with their quick and far-ranging movement.

They can also be used to reposition unsuspecting enemies, as their blast radius affects them as well. But the versatile tool comes with a myriad of bugs that vary from play to player — so many that Epic plans to remove the weapon from the game soon.

The Hammer will be vaulted soon due to a Glitch that allows you to have unlimited bounces #Fortnite

— Fortnite News & Leaks ☃️❄️ (@FortniteNwsHub) December 30, 2022

The two most complained-about glitches the hammer presents are an unlimited bounce bug and one that slows movement. The unlimited bounce allows players to constantly jump at a height and speed that mirrors that which the hammer provides. This makes for an absolutely broken amount of movement and a clear advantage over the rest of the players in the game. The slow movement is the most annoying glitch, and appears after hammer swing landings and sometimes at random. It entails players moving at absurdly low speeds that rival tiptoeing whether running, sprinting, or walking. which presents a clear disadvantage, especially when in the middle of a battle.

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Sadly, the removal of this item will be a big deal for players, like myself, who’ve grown attached to it. Like the Shockwave Grenades, it’s become a vital source of fun factor in Fortnite —and it’s not even close to the only glitch reported in the new season.

We're aware of an issue that is preventing the "Land direct hits on players with the Ex-Caliber Rifle quest" from progressing when using the Mythic Ageless Champion Ex-Caliber Rifle.

As a workaround players can use other variants of the Ex-Caliber Rife. pic.twitter.com/Hbgf0aKY2G

— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) January 6, 2023

From other weapons like the Mythic Ex-Calibur rifle bugging out to reported texture glitches, it seems this is one of the messiest Fortnite updates in a while. However, with Epic constantly working on the game. there’s reason to hope that these issues will be fixed as soon as possible. Until then, I’ll just pray that I don’t get hit with the slow-movement glitch in the middle of a fight again.