Season 3 has officially begun for Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode, and with it come new skins, new customization options, at least one new weapon, and some much-needed improvements. Given that this latest update introduces a whole new season, the expectation was that the improvements and additions would be substantial, and Epic Games did not disappoint.
New Skins
While not a gameplay improvement, the new skins for Fortnite Season 3 are sure to be popular among the more dedicated players. As was previously teased, the theme will be space for Season 3, so several of the skins feature astronaut-esque designs. We also get to see the assassin skin, which has a very John Wick look to it.
Gliders and pickaxes are also getting a few new models including a dark camouflage look and a pickaxe that features a pencil at its tip. Could this be another reference to John Wick’s use of a pencil as a deadly weapon?
On top of the usual cosmetics, Fortnite will be adding backpack customizations to the mix, yet another way for players to fine-tune their look. Since the Battle Royale mode features a lot of time spent looking at the character’s back, Epic Games sought fit to spruce up the view a little bit.
Check out the full tease trailer for the new cosmetics (as well as a few other new items) below:
New Weapon
The latest weapon to join the Fortnite fray is the hand cannon, a Desert Eagle-looking handgun that one can only assume fires slow but hits hard. According to Epic, the hand cannon will use heavy ammo and will come in Epic and Legendary rarity versions.
Gameplay Changes
On the gameplay improvements side, Fortnite is getting two very important tweaks/additions. The double pump shotgun exploit is now gone, so players will need to complete the pump animation when switching to a “fired” pump shotgun. That still allows for the double pump concept, with players being able to switch quickly between two versions of the same weapon, but switching back to a shotgun that had previously been fired will now require an animation.
Building has been revamped as well through the implementation of a turbo building feature and better logic for placed structures. With turbo building, players can hold down the fire button and place building pieces in quick succession, and the game can also switch to available materials if the currently selected material runs out.
The improved logic for placing structures will allow for the placement of ramps, walls, floors, and ceilings through objects like rocks and trees. Previously, players could find themselves unable to build when an object was in their way, but now the piece will appear around or through the object.
Other notable changes include support for 60FPS on consoles (even base PS4 and Xbox One), a non-Valentine’s Day skin for the crossbow, and the ability to move for 10 seconds after a victory. It’s a good thing that Fortnite is adding some new dances then.
Read the full Season 3 Fortnite patch notes for all the relevant changes to Battle Royale and Save the World.
Fortnite is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.