5 things to know from Fortnite patch v5.41

Fortnite’s newest patch is here, and this time around, nothing too major is changing, but there are a few additions that are worth looking at.

There’s a new way to create a giant structure in the blink of an eye, thanks to a new throw-able item. Also coming to the game is a pre-built structure for players to experiment with in Playground Mode, as well as some console-specific changes.

Epic is also rolling back the changes it made a couple of weeks ago that let storms in the late game deal damage to structures, leaving it to once again be a builders’ paradise.

If you want to check out all of the changes coming to Fortnite with patch v5.41, you can check out the patch notes.

The new Port-a-Fortress is an upgraded Port-a-Fort

The Port-a-Fort has been out for a while now, and it’s about time the item got a little upgrade. Turns out Epic agrees, as the Port-a-Fortress has been added to the game in patch v5.41. As the name suggests, this new throw-able equipment item is a bigger, better version of the Port-a-Fort. It’s a Legendary-quality weapon and only comes out of vending machines, air drops and chests, which means it will be pretty rare. But, if you do happen to find one, you’ll be reward with a massive base, all built in just seconds.

The Spiky Stadium is here for your enjoyment in Playground Mode

Playground Mode has a new item that instantly creates a stadium full of spike traps and bounce pads. It’s not quite clear what exactly Epic expects players to do with the Spiky Stadium, but the developer seems fairly certain that someone will come up with a creative use for the item.

Epic Games

The storm no longer destroys structures in the last few circles

This may have sounded like a good idea a patch or two ago, but Epic has thought better of the change. While this week’s patch notes don’t provide much context for the change, it’s not hard to guess at the issues. While the original update was made to prevent building in the late game, it probably did a bit too much of that, leaving players strategically limited and forced into awkward engagements and small structures. That should now be alleviated.

Editing structures with a controller is a little easier now

Fortnite’s console control scheme relies a lot on players holding buttons to interact with objects in certain ways. Part of making that feel good — and work well — is fine-tuning how long those buttons have to be held for. As of patch v5.41, Epic is making the hold timer for editing structures on a controller just a little shorter. While this is likely to make things feel smoother in the long run, it may take a game or two for players to get used to the faster speed.

There are no more console-specific icons in the game

It’s always been easy to tell what platform the other players in your party were playing on in Fortnite, until now. Instead of the console’s own specific logos, Fortnite now uses a generic console or PC icon to denote what your teammates are playing on. It doesn’t have a massive impact on gameplay, but it will make determining your teammate’s platform of choice a little more difficult.