More than a week into Chapter 7, the island’s overhaul has produced a lot of changes — some welcome, some frustrating. Small quality-of-life updates, like a HUD that now highlights when your weapon needs a reload, are genuinely useful. Other redesigns feel like steps backward: the emote wheel’s new layout buries non-locker emotes in a secondary menu, and Jam Tracks no longer show song titles, which is awkward for anyone trying to cue up a specific tune.
One of the biggest departures is how players now arrive on the map. After the Battle Bus exploded during the Zero Point event, Epic introduced surfing at the start of Chapter 7: you catch a wave, launch skyward, and then make your final descent — a far cry from the old skydiving routine.
Plenty of players have been loud about their dislike (see one of the more vocal threads on Reddit). Even colleagues of mine have been unimpressed. I, however, enjoy it. Surfing offers a break from the relentless Battle Bus routine and makes the approach to the island more interactive. It gives you additional agency over your entry vector, and if the stars align, you might even ride in to a Beach Boys tune. What’s not to—well, love?
I get why surfing drew ire at first. Prior to this week’s buff, it was all but guaranteed you’d land near the coast, which funneled everyone into the same hotspots and left too few resources to go around. Matches became frantic, crowded affairs — the kind of sweaty chaos many players dread.
Oddly enough, I found that chaos invigorating. My friends and I began favoring unusual drop choices — hunting for vehicles and ziplines, or intentionally dropping into hectic areas to scramble for whatever gear we could find, even a humble grey pump. Surfing forced improvised decisions and sharpened our reflexes; those uncomfortable starts taught us to adapt faster.
Now that the Battle Bus is making a comeback and surfing occurs roughly 20% of the time, some of that initial thrill is dimming. It feels likely surfing will be tucked away again by the start of Chapter 7 Season 2, with the Bus reinstated as the default arrival method and the familiar status quo restored.
The Battle Bus has anchored match openings since Chapter 1 in 2017, so any real departure from that ritual feels novel — even riding in to a 1960s surf classic can seem unexpectedly refreshing. When Epic buffed surfing this week so riders could reach the island’s center more reliably, the mode transformed from a gimmick into a viable way to start a game.
I hope Epic doesn’t shelve surfing for good. It’s one of the most interesting mechanical experiments the game has seen in years, and small refinements could make it exceptional. The recent adjustments already improved the experience dramatically; further iteration might only amplify its upside.
New systems usually need tuning — look no further than the emote wheel for evidence. So before writing surfing off, give the mechanic time to breathe and evolve.
As a small request, I’d love to see “Surfin’ USA” added to Fortnite Festival as a purchasable Jam Track. If Epic wants to go further, I’ve got plenty of ideas for a Beach Boys-themed Battle Pass — my notebook is full of them.
For now, I’m heading back out to ride a few more waves while I still can.
See one of the louder Reddit threads on the surfing debate.
Source: Polygon
