It’s not often that we describe minor updates to Fortnite as game-changers, but that’s exactly what Epic Games has delivered with its latest patch.
Following a couple of hours of mandatory downtime this morning (August 6), update v.30.40 went live at noon with a barrage of new features.
It’s the latest in a string of smaller tweaks to the game in the lead-up to the next seasonal update, which could bring Marvel superheroes to Battle Royale on August 16.
This time around, the biggest upgrade is a heavily requested feature that could revolutionise exploration on Lego Fortnite, the Minecraft-style game mode introduced last December.
Fast travel is finally here!
As promised by Epic, fast travel is now available in the blocky survival adventure. Previously, players were forced to walk, glide or (more recently) drive around the game’s massive map. While it was cool to take in the sights, dropping your belongings after a scrap with a monstrous Brute was no one’s idea of fun.
Who’s ready to Fast Travel?! Our new update is now live! pic.twitter.com/E6ckOXSIUN
— LEGO Fortnite (@LEGOFortnite) August 6, 2024
With the latest update, however, you can dart straight to a fast-travel point on the map without risking it all. How does it work? You have to hop on a Battle Bus, of course. Yes, the iconic blue bus from Battle Royale is soon to be everyone’s fave mode of travel on Lego Fortnite.
Epic has peppered the map with a network of bus stations, which you can destroy for parts to build your own fast-travel spot. That could be great for those grinding journeys from your village to a new cave filled with mineable resources.
Unfortunately, it appears the update has got off to a rocky start. Epic says it is investigating reports of missing busses and indestructible bus stops and will provide an update soon.
Lego Fortnite just pushed out an update adding fast travel via bus stops, and surprise, surprise... they don't actually work. Or are even breakable pic.twitter.com/qHvFkn3Esz
— Triple-Q (@TripleKyun) August 6, 2024
More Lego Fortnite features
The fast-travel system works in tandem with a new “map ping” feature that lets you mark destinations and then use the bus stops to reach them quickly.
Sleep till morning, on the other hand, has been delayed. The fabled update, which lets players snooze through the night to avoid pesky skeletons and other threats, is being reserved for a future patch as it needs a bit more work, Epic revealed earlier this month.
We have to hit snooze on Sleep Until Morning as it needs a bit more time to cook but now you know it is coming in a later update!
— LEGO Fortnite (@LEGOFortnite) August 2, 2024
Other additions include the option to zoom out farther on the world map and pan across your entire world. Plus, inventories have been increased to 32 slots, so you can carry more stuff.
Finally, you can further customise your worlds. Not only can you now modify almost every setting in your server after it goes live, but you can also change the name of your worlds and villages (as long as they’re not rude).
Fall Guys obstacle courses
Outside of Lego Fortnite, the update delivers some of the features teased in the previous patch. For instance, creators can now publish the Fall Guys mini-games they’ve been able to build since late July.
To give players an idea of what to expect, Epic is adding a flying-obstacle course to Battle Royale that can be reached by finding one of several Bean Idols hidden in the Classy Courts arena.
Meanwhile, Fall Guys developer (and Epic Games subsidiary) Mediatonic is debuting six mini-games of its own based on the viral platformer. All of these will be available in the new Fall Guys row in Fortnite’s main menu.
If you want the full experience, make sure to equip an original Fortnite skin before you jump into the action. This way, you’ll be transformed into a Minions-style Fall Guys bean when you enter an obstacle course or mini-game.
As revealed in the last update, the Tesla Cyber Truck is now available to buy in the Fortnite shop, meaning you no longer have to complete the quests to obtain it.
Proximity Chat is coming to Fortnite
Another feature introduced in today’s update is proximity chat for user-generated games (or Islands, as Epic calls them).
Currently in early access, when switched on, the upgrade should let you hear and talk to others nearby, with player vocals rising or falling based on their distance to each other.
This can lead to tense standoffs, unexpected alliances, and plenty of trash talk (that Epic will be closely monitoring in case it gets too toxic). Thankfully, you’ll be able to see who’s speaking using proximity chat, and have the option to report, mute and block nuisance players as normal.
Games like Call of Duty Warzone have fully embraced the feature, but Fortnite has only dabbled with it in the past through experimental game modes.
Players can expect the final product to arrive in the coming months once the early-access period ends.
