Fortnite's Chapter 7 loot pool is a blueprint for battle royale going forward: balanced, lethal, and flexible

I love a good moan about Fortnite: about Epic Games vaulting my beloved shockwave grenades, about the sorry state of SMGs, and about a baffling update adding off-brand weapons.

So I should give credit where credit's due. Through careful buffs and bringing back some older weapons, Epic Games has curated the best loot pool in ages.

I felt very differently a month ago. I loved Chapter 7's varied map, but one weapon—the Deadeye AR—dominated. No other rifle came close. SMGs were as irrelevant...