Fortnite is a game that manages to stay at the forefront of the free-to-play pack year after year, despite launching over five years ago. This is largely in part due to its constant rotation of old and new items getting put on this island, keeping gameplay from feeling too stale. This includes Fortnite's Balloons item, which players can currently try out.
Epic Games is reintroducing the long-dormant Balloons item roughly two months into its Chapter 3 Season 2. Originally introduced way back in Season 6 of the first chapter, Fortnite's Balloons are a mobility item that was vaulted two seasons later, remaining inactive until a few days ago.
Where to Find Balloons in Fortnite
For players who may be unaware, the Balloon item in Fortnite that players can deploy in order to create a low-gravity effect --enabling them to jump much higher while slowly floating down. This effect can be increased by adding up to three balloons at a time, and can be attached or released at any point during gameplay.
However, while Balloons offer enhanced mobility, particularly vertical mobility, the item is susceptible to gunfire, leaving players vulnerable while airborne. At the time of writing, players can find Balloons anywhere on the island, including chests, Supply Drops, and Floor Loot.
Balloons may not be around much longer after today's pending players' opinions, as tomorrow begins the voting period between them and Fortnite's Shield Bubble item. Another relic from the game's first chapter, the Shield Bubble creates a temporary impenetrable shield for 30 seconds.
Particularly effective when defending vehicles, the Shield Bubble's only weakness is the item being shot from within the perimeter, quickly disabling it. After May 16, players can vote on which item to add to the loot pool via Gold Bar funding.
In addition to the Shield Bubble and the Balloons, Fortnite has also unvaulted two fan-favorite weapons: the Flint-Knock Pistol and the Hunting Rifle. Added as part of Fortnite's v20.30 hotfix, which also unvaulted the Air Strike, both guns have been missing from the game for quite a while, with the Flint-Knock Pistol and Hunting Rifle vaulted since Chapter 2. Players will have to act fast if they want to try out these weapons, however, as both are expected to go back in the vault after May 17.
With Fortnite's Balloons in the next round of voting, the item's ultimate fate will be decided by players. The decision will become moot in a few weeks, either way, as Fortnite's Chapter 3 Season 3 is quickly approaching.
Fortnite is free-to-play on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.