New Fortnite: Battle Royale Update Available Now; Patch Notes Detail What's Different

Following a relatively brief maintenance period, Epic Games has released the new 2.2.0 update for Fortnite on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. As detailed previously, it deals primarily with Battle Royale, adding a newly updated version of the map, pre-game voice chat, and more.

Updates to the map are the most significant component of the patch. New areas have been added, primarily to the western half of the map, which had been somewhat sparsely populated before now. This includes a new city section and underground mines. Existing areas also receive a makeover, with Epic providing more differentiation between the various biomes. As lead systems designer Eric Williamson said recently, "The swamp feels swampier, the mountains feel more mountain-y. Really, the different areas of the map feel more unique."

Epic has also rolled out a new level-streaming system. Although it doesn't directly have an effect on gameplay, Epic says it "enabl[es] a richer map and improved performance." Load times on consoles have been "greatly reduc[ed]" and there should be less hitching in general. A variety of visual improvements have also been implemented, with new water and grass/foliage effects now in place.

Other new features include the addition of voice chat in the pre-game lobby, an update to the killfeed to show the distance on sniper rifle kills, and a revamped version of the Scoped AR's sight. Another key change, the removal of friendly fire, was implemented recently, although it may only be a temporary measure as Epic evaluates what impact it has on the game.

The full patch notes can be found on Epic's website. Fortnite: Battle Royale is a free download, while access to the Save the World mode remains in paid early access.