Fortnite pulled the trigger on the much-anticipated volcanic destruction of Tilted Towers, with Retail Row taking a small barrage of damage and a few chunks of molten rocks spewing forth to other locations around the map.
The event began at 2 pm CT when players were sent to the familiar dream-like area somewhere that was not registering on the map. Within the strange location were six pillars with previously vaulted items: the Drum gun, Stormwing plane, Grappler, Bouncer, Sword, and TAC SMG. Players then smashed the pillar that they wanted to see win, gradually filling each with a bright light to cast their vote. Eventually, players chose to bring back the Drum Gun. After this, the screen went white and the demolition began.
The sky turned a crimson red and the volcano began spewing fireballs of destruction. Retail Row was hit first, with the destruction mainly affecting the parking lot. After that, the icy region further South-West was hit. The third eruption seemed to go higher than the ones before it, exploding into four separate balls of fire mid-air and wiping out most, but not all, of Tilted Towers.
As players flocked around in their gliders, it became clear that one building had been spared, but the rest of the area was now a smoldering ruin. Players are able to find loot in the area. However, they are no longer able to head to the spot as the start of a match. If the location is rebuilt, as many often are at the end of the season after a drastic change, we are might see a smaller version of the area.
Though many fans wanted to see the Drum Gun return, others likely won't be as happy. The weapon has been criticized in the past for being too effective against walls, though Epic has made clear that it will not return during Fortnite's World Cup.
Since there is only a week left until the start of Season 9, players may only have a short time to enjoy a Tilted Towers-free game. Overall, this is likely going to be a positive change for the game. Since there will no longer be one singular spot for squads to drop to in order to see immediate action, many players are still unsure of where they should head to first. At the same time, some games might become longer since there is no longer a spot for masses to fight and die. However, players will likely soon figure out new spots to drop from.
For now, you can still explore the smoldering ruins of the now-vanquished Tilted Towers.