In such a short space of time, Fortnite Battle Royale has become certified gaming phenomenon. Pitting 100 players against each other on a single map, it melds fun, cartoonish gameplay with a fierce competitive streak, and has attracted millions of players across the globe across all ages and demographics.
Season 9 is now officially live, and we've got details of all the latest updates. We knew from the teaser tweet that we had a futuristic theme to look forward to, and so it's been proved.
To help you keep on top of what's new and what's coming up in Fortnite, we've put together this handy page which will be updated with all the latest announcements. So to get you ready for blast off, here's everything you need to know about Fortnite.
What is Fortnite?
There's been a lot of hype surrounding Fortnite since its release in July 2017. But what exactly is it?
Fortnite is a battle royale game which sees you thrown onto an island with no weapons or armor and it's up to you to scavenge for supplies and fight for your life to be the last man or squad standing at the end of the game – with the added pressure of a shrinking map that closes in as the match progresses, forcing players into tighter skirmishes.
The game is available for free on PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android, with in-game purchases limited to purely cosmetic options.
Fortnite update news and Fortnite patch notes
- What's new? Fortnite Season 9 is live and we're now on patch 9.3 which has also had three additional content updates. Check out the new items (the latest being Air Strike) in more detail below.
Fortnite is now into season 9 and version 9.30 is our latest patch which has recently been supplemented by some additional content updates.
Air Strike
The latest addition to this update is the Air Strike. It’s a small canister which, when thrown, emits some colored smoke that calls down, well, an air strike. It quite literally does what it says on the tin. The 20 missiles the canister calls will spawn around 120 metres above it and will hit random points within a 9 meter radius, with each explosion having its own 3.5 meter blast radius. A missile hit will deal 75 damage to other players and 200 damage to structures.
The Air Strike will be found in Floor Loot, Chests, Vending Machines, Llamas and Supply Drops and will come in stacks of 1 with a max stack size of 2.
Drum Shotgun
The second content update has brought the introduction of the Drum Shotgun. Available in Common, Uncommon and Rare variants, this weapon does 45, 47 and 50 damage respectively and can be found as Floor Loot, in Vending Machines and in Loot Carriers.
Revolver
The new Revolver, available in Epic and Legendary variants, is a powerful weapon that fires medium ammo. It does 63 or 66 damage per shot, depending on which variant you have, and it can be found as floor loot, in chests, vending machines, supply drops and loot carriers.
Pump Shotgun
Fan favorite weapon, the Pump Shotgun, is being unvaulted in this update in its Uncommon and Rare varieties. You'll find it as floor loot and in vending machines. Epic has brought the gun back to see how it plays with the Tactical and Combat Shotguns, which fans have been less fond of.
Chug Splash
It may not sound like the most appetizing drink but this throwable added in the first 9.30 patch will allow you to heal yourself and other players.
The Chug Splash throwable is essentially a six pack of drinks which, when thrown explodes on impact. Any players in range of the explosion (yes, that's friends and enemies) will receive 20 health if injured. If health is full, then 20 shield will be added.
The item can be found in a wide range of places, including as floor loot, in chests, in vending machines, supply drops, and llamas. They drop in stacks of two, up to a maximum of six.
Vaulted
Items vaulted with this update are Boom Bow, Dual Pistols, Dynamite, the Rare Tactical Assault Rifle, Impulse Grenades, Rift-to-Go and the Pirate Cannon.
You can access the patch notes in full and see the latest Bug Fixes and Updates on the official Epic Blog.
Limited Time Modes
The 14 Days of Summer event may be coming to an end but Epic is swooping in with a nice bulky Limited Time Mode rotation for this update.
- High Explosives Squads: a battle using explosive weapons only. It’s a literal blast.
- Sneaky Silencers Solo: a nighttime hunt using silenced weapons.
- Classic Squads: a battle royale that only features weapons fro seasons 1 and 2.
- Solid Gold Duos: Teams of two using only Legendary weapons
- Catch Squads: a battle royale with no guns. Instead players can only use items that can be thrown or tossed so we’re talking grenades and their ilk.
- Blitz Squads: a fast-paced battle royale where the Storm is unrelenting.
- See also: how to unblock Fortnite at school or the office
- Or check out: the best gaming keyboards for Fortnite
Can I play Fortnite on mobile?
Yes you can! Well, maybe. After months of waiting, Fortnite is finally on both iOS and Android, though you'll need a phone that can actually run the game.
iOS users can download straight from the App Store. As long as you're using iOS 11 on iPhone 6S/SE, iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad 2017, iPad Pro devices or later you'll be fine. Oh, and you'll need an internet connection, naturally.
Fortnite also hit Android phones and finally came out of beta in October 2018. You can see the full list of phones – and how to find the Fortnite Installer – on our Fortnite on Android page.
Is it the full game?
It is the full Fortnite game. There are some small differences: it’s not quite as visually impressive as it is on more powerful devices, the controls are touchscreen, and a lot of audio cues have been made visual so you can play comfortably in public without the need for headphones. But you won’t be missing out on any key features.
What's the deal with cross-play?
A sweet deal is what it is. While previously Xbox One and PS4 owners couldn't play the game together, Sony's U-turn on the matter means that now everyone across Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android can all take part in the crossfire.
So if you've got friends that prefer PC, others that prefer console and you're off on holiday with your mobile, that's no reason for the fun to stop.
There's also cross-progression. So, if you're logged into your Fortnite account on mobile and you later log into your console to play there, everything you did on mobile later that day is carried over.
Sounds great, how do I get it?
We have a guide on how to get Fortnite on mobile on TechRadar and we're constantly updating it with the latest rollout news. If your device isn't there yet, keep checking back and one day it probably will be.
What's a Fortnite Battle Pass?
The Battle Pass is a purchasable item in Fortnite that gives you access to exclusive in-game rewards.
As players complete daily challenges and level up their rank, they earn Battle Stars which can then be used to unlock Tiers in their Battle Pass. Each new Tier you unlock will bring both Free and Premium rewards. The Tiers vary from season to season but in season three you get around 100 items in each Battle Pass which can take anywhere between 75 and 150 hours of play to unlock.
Everyone that has a Battle Pass will get the Free reward they unlock, but only Premium Pass holders will get the Premium reward. Battle Pass Premium can only be purchased with in-game V bucks and not with real money.
You can purchase a Battle Pass for around £7/$ 10 in the Battle Pass tab of the game’s menu.
Twitch Prime benefits
Those who use Twitch Prime and play Fortnite will be glad to know that they have access to free loot right now. Those with a Prime account can claim the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack and the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack 2 which include a host of cosmetic items and are available across all platforms.
The first pack includes two exclusive gliders and outfits: the Havoc Outfit and Back Bling, plus the Sub Commander Outfit and Slipstream Glider. The second pack contains three exclusive items for Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode including the camouflage-heavy Trailblazer Outfit, the True North Back Bling, and the Tenderizer Pickaxe. There’s also a brand new dance emote for those that like the dance floor as much as the battleground.
The packs can only be claimed on a single platform, but they can be shared across PC/console and mobile as long as you use the same Epic account across these platforms. You can’t however, share your loot across PS4 and Xbox One even if you are using the same Epic account.
(Image credits: Epic Games)