- The Fortnite 40.20 update was released on April 16, 2026, at 4 AM ET.
- The update adds Showdown Act 2 with new weapons and items to unlock by completing Rivalries.
- The 40.20 update also transitions Fortnite Save the World to a free-to-play mode.
Epic Games has finally deployed the Fortnite 40.20 update for Chapter 7 Season 2. The massive new patch initiates the next phase of the ongoing Showdown theme, while also finally making Fortnite Save the World free-to-play. Wondering about everything new Epic has added with this update? Here’s a full breakdown of everything you need to know.
Fortnite v40.20 Update Downtime Details
Downtime for the Fortnite 40.20 update began on April 16, 2026, at 4 AM ET, which is when the game underwent a scheduled downtime of 3 hours.
Matchmaking and other services were taken down 30 minutes before downtime begins. Servers were brought back up at 7 AM ET.
Fortnite April 16 Update Today Full Patch Notes for v40.20
The 40.20 update is much more content-rich than the previous patch, the Fortnite 40.10 update, which was largely focused on the OG mode and the April Fools update.
Showdown Act 2
Act 1 of the Fortnite Showdown Rivalries has concluded, with Team Ice King defeating Team Foundation in the first leg of this season-wide event and unlocking items like the Ice King vault card and the Foundation’s Rift Rifle.
Now, Act 2 officially kicks off, focusing on the return of Daigo and the Elites. This act brings a new set of milestones for players on both teams to complete. Here are all the weapons and items players will be able to unlock through the Fortnite Showdown Rivalry event:
Team Ice King
- Hammer Revolver
- Recon Scanner
- Reforged Infinity Blade
- Slipstreams in Ice Biomes
Team Foundation
- Super Shredder Shotgun
- Save the World Base Expansion
- Cube Rifle
- Seven Base Vortex Beacon
Fortnite Reload Elite Stronghold Map
The return of Daigo and the Elites is not limited to the main Battle Royale mode, as the Fortnite 40.20 update also brings the Reload Elite Stronghold map. This new map allows players to battle it out on the Elites’ base of operations, and the good news for competitive players is that they can compete to get in before anyone else.
Players who reach Elite or higher rank in Fortnite Reload will gain early access to the Elite Stronghold map on April 18, 2026. The map will be made available to all players 48 hours after, on April 20, 2026.
Stone Cold Steve Austin and Liv Morgan WWE Skins
The Fortnite 40.20 update also brings another round of WWE collaboration skins to the game, with Stone Cold Steve Austin making his way to the Fortnite Item Shop soon after the update goes live. Epic Games has already revealed a look at the skin, featuring Stone Cold’s iconic Austin 3:16 aesthetic, coupled with his beer chug emote, which features Slurp Juice instead of actual beer.
According to leaks, the Stone Cold Steve Austin skin will also be accompanied by Liv Morgan, bringing her punk-inspired wrestling vibe to the Item Shop. However, this has not been confirmed by Epic Games yet.
Map Changes: Builder’s Barracks
The Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2 map has also changed with the 40.20 update, with Epic introducing the new Builder’s Barracks POI. This new location replaces Tiptop Terrace and features a ton of OG builds like the metal Llama that was found close to Junk Junction on the Chapter 1 map.
Ballistic & Festival Battle Stage Removed
The Fortnite 40.20 update doesn’t just add new content, but also takes content out of the game. Fortnite Ballistic and Festival Battle Stage are both being sunset with the new patch. This was announced by Epic Games along with the recent layoffs, explaining how the modes failed to gain a substantial audience for them to continue maintaining them. Rocket Racing is also set to be removed from the Fortnite ecosystem, but that is not set to take place until October 2026.
Fortnite Endgame LTM Removed
The return of the Fortnite Endgame LTM was a short-lived nostalgia trip. With the Fortnite 40.20 update, the 16v16 clash between the Avengers and Thanos’ Chitauri army has returned to the vault once again. This means that players who have not completed the Fortnite Endgame quests missed out on any bonus free XP they didn’t claim.
New Fortnite Icon Skins: Reddysh, Moxie, and Sommerset
With the release of the next major Fortnite patch, Epic has also added Icon skins for streamers Sommerset, Moxie, and Reddysh. The skins were up for grabs for free through the Triple Threat Cup and will be coming to the Fortnite Item Shop on April 17, 2026, at 8 PM ET.
Fortnite Ranks Update
The 40.20 update has also introduced a minor overhaul of the Fortnite Ranks system, introducing more tiers for players to grind through. The Elite and Champion ranks, which were single-tier ranks, are now divided into 3 tiers, much like other ranks. Unreal, however, still remains single-tier and the most prestigious rank in the game.
New Weekly Quests
The 40.20 update also introduces a new set of weekly quests for Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2. These quests allow players to gain an XP boost for the Showdown Battle Pass and also develop the ongoing conflict between the Ice King and the Foundation.
Fortnite Save the World Free-to-Play Update Notes
After an insanely long wait, the Fortnite 40.20 update also transitions Fortnite Save the World to a free-to-play mode. The mode, which was the original vision for Fortnite before the Battle Royale genre took over, was in early access until 2020 and then transitioned to a paid experience.
Players can now team up and battle Husks, build their bases up, and complete objectives to progress their character and the overall story of Fortnite Save the World.
Since the Save the World community milestone event has hit the final goal, all players will receive the Snowstrike Hero when they load into the mode for the first time. Here’s everything new added to the Save the World mode:
Hombase Upgrades
The Save the World Homebase has officially evolved from a static menu into a full, explorable physical space. This immersive hub will grow and change as you progress in Save the World, with iconic characters and familiar locales coming to life.
Battle Royale Crossover: Jess & Penny
Fortnite’s two worlds are colliding now through June 5. Save the World legends Jess and Penny have arrived on the Battle Royale Island, and they need your help.
- The Mission: Locate Penny at the Builder’s Barracks or Jess at her campground to begin their crossover Quests.
- The Rewards: Earn Battle Pass XP as you play. Complete two quests in Jess’s line to unlock the ability to purchase the Super Shredder (a Shotgun-Sniper hybrid) mid-match.
- Permanent Unlocks: Finish the entire questline to earn the Super Shredder Schematic in Save the World. Additionally, earning 350,000 XP in Save the World during this event will unlock the Jess Outfit for your Locker.
A Voyager’s Arrival
Strange signals have led the Dark Voyager to the Fortnite Save the World reality. From April 16 to April 23, players can jump into a special investigation questline to intercept his drones and gather intel on the Dark Harvester. Players can earn a plethora of People XP, Schematic XP, and an Upgrade Llama by completing this questline.
Defender System Overhaul
The Defender system has been completely overhauled to make them active participants in your missions rather than stationary guards.
- Defenders now follow you across the map instead of being tethered to Defender Posts.
- They no longer consume your ammo, and their weapons will not lose durability. They can even revive you or your teammates during a fight.
- You can equip up to three Defenders in your loadout. In solo play, all three will join you; in team play, each player brings one Defender to fill empty squad slots. Use pings and commands to direct your specialized Riflemen, Snipers, or Bruisers to victory.
QoL & Settings Changes
- Save time by enabling Automatically Apply XP in the settings. This feature uses your People XP to instantly level up the Heroes, Defenders, and Survivors currently in your active squads.
- For new players, Battle Royale keybinds will now automatically carry over to Save the World. Returning players will receive a prompt to sync their settings for a seamless experience across both modes.
- To celebrate the Free-to-Play launch, watch Save the World streams on Twitch from April 16 to April 20. You can earn the “Mood” Emoticon, “Storm Chasers” Spray, and a Legendary Urban Assault Headhunter Hero.
Key Bug Fixes
- Re-enabled the Shop and V-Bucks tabs in the lobby, fixed the “Exit” tab naming conventions, and updated the Quick Bar to show correct ability keybinds.
- Mission votes are now a simple button press rather than a hold, and the Blue Skies quest now displays the correct difficulty requirements.
- Resolved PS5 reconnection issues, fixed lighting flickers on PS4, and corrected visual glitches when using the Default Hero appearance.
- Double-clicking map pins now works as intended, and floating vegetation in Survive the Horde has been grounded.
Fortnite Festival Season 14 Update Notes
With the Chappell Roan madness leaving Fortnite Festival, pop-jazz sensation Laufey is all set to take the stage in Season 14 of the rhythm-based gamemode. This not only brings a complete thematic overhaul of the Festival mode’s aesthetics, but also introduces the Season 14 Music Pass.
Players can get two different Laufey outfits, with one being featured in the Music Pass while the other will be made available through the Fortnite Item Shop. In addition to the skins, players can also get their hands on a bunch of Laufey’s songs as Jam Tracks to perform on the main stage. The Season 14 Music Pass will also feature instruments like microphones themed around Laufey and her aesthetic.
Fortnite Festival Mic Vocals and Pro Drums
Epic has also added Mic Vocals and Pro Drums to the Festival mode with the 40.20 update. The Mic Vocals feature essentially serves as a Karaoke mode, with the ability to sing along to Jam Tracks with any microphone that is compatible with Fortnite. Additionally, by connecting a Rock Band 4 or another compatible MIDI drum kit, players can also channel their inner drummer while performing on the Festival stage.
LEGO Fortnite NINJAGO Embers of Chaos Update Notes
The 40.20 update has also introduced the next wave of the LEGO Ninjago mode, and players now have to face the Oni Masters, Fire Betrayers, and the legendary Ice Dragon. With Kai returning from the monster realm with Asher, the Fire Dragon, it is time to train, evolve, and master the heat. Here is everything new added with the 40.20 update:
New Content & Mastery
- The FIRE Mastery Tree: Unlock new quests and harness elemental power.
- Elemental Abilities: Incinerate foes with the new Fireball and Dragon Summon skills.
- New Weaponry: Slice through the opposition with the Scythe, now available for your loadout.
- Legendary Allies: Kai and Asher join as NPCs. Keep an eye out for Lloyd and Cole, who are arriving soon with special gifts.
- Oni Rewards: Conquer enemies and quests to earn the Oni Stronghold Citadel, Watchtower, Gate, and the Tyrant’s Estate.
LEGO Pass: Soaring Skies
- Outfits: The new RadRat look.
- Airships: Pilot the Luft-Llama Longboat, Dragoncraft Cruiser, and the massive Dreadnought Dirigible.
- Building Freedom: Airship decor can now snap to curved or angled surfaces, moving beyond basic flat-wall placement.
Gameplay Enhancements
- Movement: Dive into Sprint Swimming (toggle in settings) for faster water traversal.
- Gliders: Red Gliders now have a slower descent than Yellow ones, providing more air time.
- Followers: NPC allies now scale better—the higher the tier of the weapon you give them, the stronger their stat boosts.
- Villages: To reduce visual clutter, villages will only “sparkle” once you’ve met both the Awesome Point and material requirements.
- Hero Unlocks: Hero weapons have been moved to the Mastery Tree, and the Spire Boss has been disabled across all worlds.
Physics Overhaul
- New Category: “Toys” and “Vehicle Parts” have been reorganized. Thusters and wheels are now under Contraptions, while Vehicle Parts are now found in Building Parts.
- Advanced Wiring: Thrusters, balloons, and switches now support Channels 5 and 6, plus directional channels.
- Heavy Hardware: Introducing the Jumbo Thruster for maximum power, plus Hot Air Balloons, Cannons, and two new Boom Barrel variants.
- Handling: Wheels are now more stable during turns, and Thrusters now fire only while the input is held when operated from a driver’s seat.
Bug Fixes
- Stability: Fixed the “World Restore” error and crafting bench freezes.
- UI/UX: Resolved blurry map icons, fixed D-pad navigation in inventories, and simplified map marker color selection on controllers.
- Combat: Fixed inconsistencies with Spinjitzu and resolved missing tier indicators in the Codex.
- Interactions: Players can now trade for Flintlocke’s Bait Buckets and open the chest near the Monastery Workbench.
- Console Fixes: Station renaming is now fully functional for console players.
Fortnite Bug Fixes and Improvements
Epic has also rolled out a significant wave of fixes to sharpen the Fortnite experience. From gameplay consistency to visual fidelity, here are the key highlights based on player feedback:
Gameplay Adjustments
- Chaos Reloader Shotgun: Now functions as intended – reloading while holstered, showing progress in the Quick Bar, and firing without hitches.
- Thorne’s Vampiric Blade: Fixed a bug where the secondary attack would temporarily disable your ability to jump.
- Ranked Zero Build: Port-a-Bunkers and Shield Bubbles have been officially added back to the loot pool.
- UI & Navigation:
- Teammate arrows on the minimap now layer correctly.
- Alt-Tabbing or using the Windows key will no longer trigger your inventory to open automatically.
Visuals & Cosmetics
- Lighting & Textures: Resolved issues where high-end settings made skins look overly shiny or dark.
- Performance Mode: Fixed physics and animation glitches for outfits on lower-end hardware.
- Specific Fixes:
- Saitama: Cape textures now load properly.
- Bugs Bunny: Eye animations fixed during Locker previews.
- Darkfire Bundle: Wraps now glow with their unique colors rather than defaulting to purple.
- UI Polish: Fixed the “infinite loading spinner” in the Shop and corrected profiles that defaulted to the basic Recruit skin.
Progression & Quests
- Battle Pass: Corrected “Reward Unlocked” notifications that appeared while browsing different tiers.
- Daily Quests: Timers now reflect the actual reset time accurately.
Fortnite OG
- Map & Items: The Paradise Palms Reboot Van has returned, and Vending Machine icons are no longer stretched.
- Pirate Cannon: Fixed a bug that locked the Quick Bar after use.
- Consistency: Quests no longer ask you to visit locations that aren’t on the current map.
Platforms & Special Modes
- LEGO Fortnite: The World Restore feature is back online and no longer throws errors when reverting to checkpoints.
- Reload: Removed “Placeholder” text from the Ranked Starter Island.
- Mobile: Optimised visuals specifically for Google Pixel 10 users.
- Upscaled the Emote Wheel for better readability on smaller screens.
What are you most excited about in the new Fortnite update? Tell us in the comments below!
