Fortnite update 40.40 makes surprising number of changes - Patch notes

Despite some longer than usual downtime in which players have struggled to login and enjoy some Battle Royale action, Fortnite fans are finally able to download update 40.40 and check out all of the new Overwatch content, which is available as part of the latest crossover event that runs for the next couple of weeks.

Available for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch consoles, PC and mobile, Fortnite update 40.40 adds new Overwatch content to the game, including character skins such as Tracer, Mercy, D.VA and Genji. That's on top of new map locations, rewards and weapons, including Mercy's Pistols that can be found in-game. What's surprising, however, is that the new Fortnite update makes far more gameplay tweaks and fixes than usual, which you can check out in the patch notes further down the page.

As you can see from the patch notes below, Epic Games has fixed an issue affecting Quests that were incorrectly tagged as completed.

Elsewhere, Laufey’s dress moves more consistently, which means it should no longer block your visibility while playing.

Fans will also be able to join other players’ group Emotes, while Kafka’s Sword no longer creates a bright flash when hitting objects in Performance Mode.

The new update also fixes specific problems on PC and Mobile, as well as addressing problems in Save the World, Fortnite OG and LEGO Fortnite.

Speaking of LEGO Fortnite, it looks like Epic Games has something planned for the launch of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight next week.

Fortnite update 40.40 patch notes...

General

• Fixed an issue where Quests currently available in the Quests tab incorrectly appeared as completed

• Laufey’s dress moves more consistently, and won’t block your visibility as much while playing

• You can again join other players’ group Emotes (e.g. Shock Grip, Death Rockers)

• Kafka’s Sword no longer creates a bright flash when hitting objects at high FPS in Performance Mode

• Fixed Ohm’s Perch Back Bling animations not playing after gliding for the first time in a match

PC

• Performance Mode now automatically chooses the best DirectX rendering path for your device to improve stability and performance

• Slightly improved game startup times on some NVIDIA video cards by reducing DLSS initialization time

• Auto Super Resolution now scales correctly at more fullscreen resolutions on supported laptops and handheld devices

• Improved texture rendering on the Intel HD 5500 video card in Performance Mode

Mobile

• Improved aim assist on touch input so it’s easier to track and hit distant or fast-moving targets while aiming

• You can now tap the Exit button instead of needing to hold it to leave Vehicles

• Tapping the Self-Throw button now throws items at your feet instead of showing the throwing arc

• Auto-Interact now correctly opens chests while running toward them

• You'll no longer accidentally re-enter Ziplines after hopping off when Auto-Interact is enabled

• Resolved a file corruption error that appeared when updating the game on some iOS devices

• Graphics quality settings no longer reset after dropping into a BR match

• Resolved an issue where the FPS setting wouldn't save after a game update on some iOS devices

• Reduced Megara’s dress clipping when previewing the Outfit in the Locker

• The Omnitrix Pick's Ampfibian Style now displays consistently after emoting on some Android devices

• Resolved a delayed text chat resizing when sending long messages quickly

• The Back button now appears correctly after reaching the end of a conversation, no longer skipping the last dialogue line

• Added a missing Confirm button when a player has 0 currency and no items selected

Battle Royale & Zero Build

• Being eliminated from DBNO while self-reviving no longer causes the camera to get stuck after rebooting

• You can again sprint out of a crouch after hurdling through a window

• You can again scroll through Quest categories without the Quest bar collapsing automatically

- Note: Shoulder Riding will remain disabled for now, but we'll let you know if it returns in the future.

Reload

• You should no longer see inverted controls and camera jitter when loading into Elite Stronghold in Unranked

• Resolved an issue in Unranked where the safe zone of the circle and the Storm were not accurately displayed

• The Grappler has been re-enabled, and using it after sliding should no longer cause hitches

• AoE effects now properly apply within certain bushes

• Fixed an issue where damage numbers showed individual hits instead of the cumulative damage number format

Arenas

• Made additional matchmaking improvements

• Fixed an issue in Duos where rounds wouldn’t properly grant a win if two Solo players were about to create a Duo team merge

• Fixed an issue where players could be respawned multiple times in quick succession at the end of a round, impacting game performance

• Added missing sound effects when opening and closing the Leaderboard

Fortnite OG

• The Baller's grappling hook now pulls the Vehicle at the intended speed

• The Baller's falling speed now matches Chapter 1 values

• Fixed an issue where players could clip through lava and end up below The Volcano

• Snow near Polar Peak now blends correctly with the surrounding area and no longer sticks out

• The two chests near the RV Park and Lonely Lodge no longer float on lower-end devices

Save the World

• No-Fill parties no longer automatically disband after completing a Mission

• Fixed an issue preventing some players from loading into Save the World while in a party

• Fixed an issue preventing new party members from joining if the party leader canceled matchmaking or abandoned the previous Mission Lobby

• Added a new Storm Shield tab to the top of the Inventory menu, allowing you to change Storm Shield permissions without needing to go to the console to do so

• You are now shown and granted rewards based on progress in your current Storm Shield Endurance if you leave the run through the Social sidebar

• Equipped weapon's ammo counter now updates correctly when crafting ammo in Homebase

• Defenders now stay equipped in the Hero Loadout slot they were originally assigned to

• Defenders will no longer block you in small spaces and narrow passages

• Sidekicks are no longer blocking menu visibility when interacting with Homebase menus

• Adjusted the Exchange tab lighting to improve the X-Ray, Loot and Items tabs' visibility

• The Collection Book area no longer appears empty at Collection Book Level 1,000

• Fixed text overflow in Homebase (e.g. Survivors Saved counter) when using languages other than English

• Fixed inconsistent music volume on the World Map in Homebase

• The Music - Lobby slider now respects your latest input while inside Homebase

• The Shop sidebar no longer prevents you from seeing the current offer and closes when not actively interacted with

• Fixed an issue with the Dragon Slash sword sometimes being invisible to other players in the Mission

• [Survive the Horde] Husks should have less difficulty navigating terrain in the Mine area

• Seagulls flying above Scurvy Shoals now look like proper seagulls (i.e. their models no longer appear exploded)

• Fixed display name inconsistency when entering Save the World on Xbox

• Resized a looooong "Party does not have sufficient Power Rating" message and moved it to a different screen

LEGO Fortnite

• Fixed an issue where the landscape could be missing when using the Klom Home Potion, Bus Travel, or direct teleports to the Monastery

• You can now collapse the tracking HUD when using a controller

• The Jump button now responds correctly after exiting Fly Mode

• Fixed an issue where some players weren’t able to pick up items

• Vehicles can now be used near a specific area on the map

• Fixed an issue where players would hold a Pickaxe instead of their equipped item

• The Golden Sheep can now leave the barn

• The unblocked recipes in the Mastery Tree are appearing correctly on the crafting bench

• Thrusters are no longer incorrectly mapped to the same joystick

• The Storm Crawler now drops rewards accordingly after being defeated

• Airship cannons now correctly highlight when viewed with a wrench

Fortnite Festival

• Improved Fill / No Fill behavior when joining Festival matches

• Improved microphone detection for Karaoke across all platforms

• Polished UI layout in Local Multiplayer to better accommodate Karaoke

• Fixed an issue where the Karaoke break timer would overlap other instrument tracks during Local Multiplayer

• Fixed an issue where Pro Drums + Cymbals scoring wouldn't apply correctly after restarting a song

• Fixed an issue where the Overdrive visual effect would linger on notes that had been missed

• Controllers and instruments connected after the game has launched are now detected properly

• Input from MIDI devices now keeps the system awake, preventing Sleep Mode from kicking in

• MadCatz drum kits are now detected correctly on Xbox

• Addressed performance hitches and stuttering that could occur while using Jam Loops