‘Fortnite’ Is Disabling the Glider Re-Deploy Feature in Default Modes

Epic Games announced that Fortnite’s controversial glider re-deploy feature will be disabled in all default modes in a future update.

Sharing an update on Epic Games’ site, the studio acknowledged that it “not live up to expectations of quickly iterating on the mechanic and communicating plans” after first announcing the glider re-deploy feature. Following the weeks of testing, Epic Games said the glider feature would stay enabled in large team modes to allow for more testing but would no longer be present in default modes.

“We are disabling Glider Re-Deploy in all default modes starting in v6.30,” Epic Games said. “It will remain in the larger team modes (e.g. Soaring 50s, Disco Domination etc.) and Playground to allow ongoing experimentation with this feature. We really appreciate all of the engaged discussion and encourage you to keep the feedback coming!”

Epic Games first announced the feature back in October and said players would be able to re-deploy their gliders so long as they were at least three stories high before descending. It’s a feature first seen in the Soaring 50s game mode that Epic Games wanted to test in more traditional modes, but the community seemed torn on whether the feature should stay in place or not.

Moving forward through what appeared to be decidedly mixed opinions on the feature, Epic Games said at the end of October the glider feature would be sticking around. The developer shared another post on October 31st that cited “positive results” as the reasoning for keeping the feature in place.

“We’ve finished our first week of Glider Re-deploy being available in all modes,” Epic Games said at the end of October. “During this time we’ve been collecting internal data and monitoring constructive feedback from all of you. We understand that not all players agree with this change, but we would like to continue with this functionality in the game based on the positive results we’ve been seeing.”

With the feature being disabled in all default game modes while Epic Games continues testing it elsewhere, this doesn’t mean the feature is either gone for good or here to stay. The fact that it’s being kept in certain game modes to allow for “ongoing exprerimentation” indicates that there’s a chance it could still become permanent, but it could also be removed entirely.

Fortnite’s glider re-deploy feature will be removed in the v6.30 update.