In the midst of the Jeffrey Epstein list being released and with a multitude of memes produced because of this, Fortnite has decided to capitalize on this golden opportunity of free clout. To further intrigue players to play Fortnite, Epic Games has added the Jeffrey Epstein update. This includes the dropping of a new location labeled “Epstein Island” (AKA Snobby Shores), two new skins with styles, new bosses, and new weapons.
The new Epstein Island dropping location is certainly one of a kind, and one of Fortnite’s most accurate locations. From a bird’s eye view, the island is shaped to depict the island Epstein owned in real life. Upon arrival, you will find a 3 story mansion with loads of chests and heals. Epic went the length and even added their own flavor, featuring only the newest weapons to come out of these chests, since Epstein’s Island only featured the youngest and most fresh. Additionally, Epic Games has added two vaults in the bottom floor for the two mythic bosses.
The two mythic bosses in these updates are Jeffrey Epstein and Stephen Hawking. Epic Games has stated that these bosses have new abilities and are harder to kill compared to bosses in the past. Epstein has the ability to summon a forcefield of young children to block all of the shots you fire on him when his health gets low. If you manage to get past the first layer, Epstein will summon more clones of children, duplicating every child, and creating a mega-forcefield, just like Epstein’s real life pyramid scheme. After you get past the next layer, you will succeed in killing the first mythic boss. Epstein will drop the new mythic shotgun named “young one” and his medallion, which gives you the power to summon the forcefield. Stephen Hawking, on the other hand, has completely different set up abilities. Upon firing Hawking, he will summon asteroids from space to crash down on your player. If you manage to evade this attack, he will then summon the children in wheelchairs. They will circle the player, creating a tornado-like effect. If you manage to build your way out of this and kill Hawking, the mythic boss will drop the mythic SMG labeled “Cosmic Organism” with his medallion. Hawking’s medallion gives the player a wheelchair, increasing movement speed. You can use the two medallions to open up the two vaults.
Many professional Fortnite players have commented on the recent update. The reviews have had a mixed opinion. Famous Twitch streamer Ninja has stated that the bosses are extremely hard to kill, but just boxing them will solve the problems of force fields and tornados. He has also stated that Epstein’s mythic shotgun and medallion has caused him to become overpowered in every single match that he plays in, making him the number one ranked Fortnite player in the world. Lazarbeam also commented on the new update, saying “It is hard to play the game when the entire lobby lands at Epstein’s Island and nowhere else. Needless to say, I died nearly 2,000 times to players and the mythic bosses, but once I killed both bosses, I became the Fortnite God.” Fortnite has also experienced an increase of 2 million players worldwide, making Fortnite the most popular game yet.
Epstein’s Island added to Fortnite may have been somewhat of a stretch, considering the rise in complaints of mothers of children playing Fortnite and asking what the new “young one” shotgun has to do with Jeffrey Epstein, but Fortnite has certainly capitalized on the popularity of Epstein’s case. Maybe this is enough to revive Fortnite from death. Maybe this will be the calling savior for Fortnite.