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The Lego Fortnite update is live, bringing an element of survival to the multiplayer game, and it’s much deeper than we expected. Epic includes the hefty new update for free alongside regular Fortnite on all platforms in the Discover tab, so you get an expansive survival mode and leisurely sandbox building mode for the cost of absolutely nothing save for a few seconds of time.
It’s hard to overstate just how much like Minecraft this new Lego Fortnite update is. Survival mode puts your lil’ Lego guy, gal, superhero, or banana peel into a gorgeous world divided into themed biomes – meadow, volcano, and so on – and lets you fend for yourself against monsters and nature. You craft weapons, build shelters, and save hapless villagers from the dangers of the wild – or maybe not so hapless. In the short time we’ve managed to play Lego Fortnite, we’ve seen villagers take out entire packs of wolves without getting scratched.
Sandbox mode drops you into a safe world and lets you explore and build whatever you want, without having to worry about monsters, hypothermia, or death. Before you begin in sandbox or survival mode, you create a world, set certain parameters that guide how it operates – no hunger or death, for example – and team up with friends for multiplayer co-op if you want.
The big difference between Lego Fortnite and Minecraft – aside from the former being free – is that you can use a pretty big chunk of your Fortnite skins as your playable character. Granted, some skins don’t translate terribly well, but if you’ve ever dreamed of roaming a Lego forest with Jonesy, well, you can do it now.
Epic promised more updates, including more Lego Fortnite skins, throughout 2024, so Lego Fortnite is only going to keep getting bigger.
Meanwhile, if you’re still keen on playing battle royale mode, check out our guide for where to find the weapon mod bench locations if you want an extra advantage in each match.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF