Fortnite Update 7.40 Adding New Gun, Overtime Challenges, And Nerfs

Season 8 of Fortnite is just around the corner now, but not before developer Epic Games rolls out another patch for the hit battle royale game. Update 7.40 is slated to arrive on all platforms--PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile--sometime this week, and it appears it'll introduce yet another new weapon to the game.

Fortnite's in-game News feed is teasing the arrival of a new type of gun called the Infantry Rifle. Its description doesn't offer many details on how it'll handle, but the gun is listed as "coming soon." Considering that Epic frequently advertises new weapons and items in the News feed just prior to its latest updates, the Infantry Rifle will presumably arrive as part of this week's 7.40 patch.

That isn't the only change Epic has in store for Fortnite this week. In a post on Reddit, the developer detailed a number of balance and gameplay adjustments it is implementing with the 7.40 update. Full patch notes will be available once the update goes live, but among other things, Epic is increasing the reload time for Rocket Launchers and reducing the amount of structure damage Hand Cannons deal. Additionally, the Stormwing vehicle will no longer be able to crash through structures.

On top of that, a new set of Overtime challenges will be available following the 7.40 update. Epic hasn't shared any details yet on what these missions will entail, but they're part of the recently announced Share the Love event, and they'll give players an opportunity to earn five new Valentine's Day-themed rewards. Battle Pass holders will also be able to unlock new styles of the Trog, Powder, and Onesie skins.

While Epic hasn't announced when Season 8 of Fortnite will begin, the developer has confirmed that Season 7 ends on February 28, so players only have a little more time to complete any remaining challenges. We've put together tips and guides for the trickier ones in our complete Fortnite Season 7 challenges roundup. The developer will also hold two double XP weekends before the season ends to give players another opportunity to level their Battle Pass up; the first is set for February 15-17, while the second takes place February 22-24.