Fortnite update brings thermal AR, new soccer stadium and more

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Fortnite thermal scope AR
Enemies are easier to see with the thermal AR.
Photo: Epic Games

This week’s Fortnite Battle Royale update is available a day early across all platforms. It adds a thermal scope assault rifle for the very first time, a brand new soccer stadium, and an improved limited-time game mode. There’s also a whole bunch of big fixes to look forward to.

Epic’s weekly Fortnite updates usually arrive on a Tuesday, but not this week. Epic hasn’t provided a reason for the earlier release, but it could have something to do with the fact that Fortnite is scheduled to make its long-awaited debut on the Nintendo Switch tomorrow, June 12.

Fortnite gets a thermal assault rifle

This week’s patch, version 4.4, is a big one. It adds Battle Royale’s first thermal scope assault rifle, which makes it easier to spot enemies in the distance by making them glow bright yellow. It will also help you find chests, supply drops, and more.

You’ll find the thermal rifle in chests, supply drops, and on the floor. It deals 36-37 base damage and is available in epic and legendary variants, which means it might be a little difficult to find.

Battle Royale catches World Cup fever

This week’s second-most significant addition is a new soccer stadium, which can be found in the northern area of the Battle Royale map. You’ll find loot in the stands and a ball on the pitch in case you and your buddies fancy a quick kick around before the storm closes in.

There are also two limited-time game modes to enjoy this week. Sniper Shootout is back with the scoped assault rifles added and the crossbow removed. A tweaked 50v50 mode is also available with a larger storm circle at the start of the game and more supply drops.

Other changes this week include the ability to place bouncer traps on ramps, a new patching method for Xbox, and the option to change the color of the lights on the Carbide and Omega skins. On mobile, Epic has fixed an issue that caused freezes after landing from the Battle Bus.

You can download the version 4.4 update on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and iOS now. For the complete list of changes, check out the Fortnite blog.

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