Fortnite No Longer Matches Switch With PS4 And Xbox One For Cross-Play

Fortnite's 8.10 update is now live across all platforms. In addition to introducing the ridiculous-looking Baller vehicle, this week's patch makes some pretty notable changes to the game below its surface, particularly with regard to cross-play.

Following the 8.10 update, PS4 and Xbox One players will now by default be grouped in the same matchmaking pool in Battle Royale. Nintendo Switch players, who were previously part of the same matchmaking pool as those on other consoles, will now be grouped with mobile players to ensure an "on-average better per-game experience."

When Sony first enabled cross-play between the PS4 version of Fortnite and other consoles last fall, players had to manually opt-in to the feature. That is still the case after this week's patch, but players who choose to opt out will be limited to Fortnite's Creative and Playgrounds modes, meaning cross-play between these two sets of platforms is now the default option for the game's standard modes.

According to Epic, the reason behind these cross-play changes is optimization. "[The] motivating factor is unlocking optimization potential allowing us to run more playlists during more hours of the day while supporting more data center locations," the developer wrote in its patch notes. Epic also invited fans to leave feedback on their cross-play experience.

In addition to the aforementioned Baller, a new hamster ball-like vehicle equipped with a Grappler for high mobility, update 8.10 makes some changes to how Vending Machines work; now players will no longer need to exchange materials, and the machines will self-destruct after one use. Epic has also brought back the heist-themed Getaway Limited-Time Mode.