Epic is changing the patch cycle for Fortnite. Although an update is coming today that introduces the heavy shotgun as a new weapon, the process will be different than in previous weeks. It is unclear whether patch notes for Fortnite are planned.
Update comes as a hotfix – no downtime
Players had gotten used to the cycle: Thursday mornings, the servers would go down for maintenance for Fortnite, around 10:30 AM the patch notes would arrive, and by 12 PM players could download a patch and start playing Fortnite again.
This will change in the future, as Epic is altering the patch rhythm:
- From patch-patch-patch-patch – weekly updates with downtime
- to patch-hotfix-patch-hotfix – one week an update with downtime, the next a hotfix without the servers going offline
This means: In a week like this, there will be only a “hotfix” that changes things in the game, but it does not require downtime or an update. The servers will stay online.
What does today’s update do for Fortnite? Patch notes
The update today, on March 22, introduces the “heavy shotgun” to Fortnite Battle Royale, and a special trap will be added to the PvE mode Save the World.
It is not known whether there will be further changes today. Normally, a new mode should start. If anything changes, we will update the article.
The update is expected to go live at 1:00 PM our time for Fortnite.
What comes next? Changes to the PvE planned
Next week, patch 3.4 is set to arrive, likely on Thursday, March 29. However, we currently only know what it will change in the PvE mode.
- It will introduce two new heroes.
- The Spring event will move into its next phase.
- Epic also wants to increase the rewards in PvE and make it less painful when players get eliminated.
- On April 12, another major patch for PvE is expected to be released with new heroes, new weapons, and a new event chain “Into the Storm”.
We do not know what changes Epic currently has planned for Fortnite: Battle Royale. But next week there should be another “normal” update – with downtime and patch notes.
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More about the new shotgun.
Fortnite: Patch brings new shotgun, new trap – coming Thursday
