Epic’s barrage of updates continues. As Season 9 continues, Epic has released yet another update that has introduced a major weapon to the game along with two highlighting LTMs that you should expect to see this week.
New Weapon – The Proximity Grenade Launcher
The latest patch coming to Fortnite is bringing the new Proximity Grenade Launcher. The newly-introduced Proximity Grenade Launcher is a grenade launcher that explodes when it is in close proximity of an enemy. The launcher, like many others, is a semi-automatic that requires rocket ammo.
The launcher deals 67 or 70 damage to opponents and 131 / 138 to environments when equipped in Epic or Legendary rarities and features a 0.65 shots per second rate of fire. Furthermore, the launcher also features a 2.8 / 3 second reload time and would automatically explode within 10 seconds if it doesn’t manage to get close enough to an opponent.
New Limited-Time Modes – Horde Rush & One Shot Duos
The two new limited-time modes coming to Fortnite are the Horde Rush and the One Shot Duos.
For folks who haven’t played the One Shot Duo LTM before, essentially, a duo of you and some friend would be pit against a hoard of players like the usual Battle Royale mode. However, this is as far as it gets in terms of similarities between the two modes. With One Shot Duos, players would be offered 50 health and a 50 shield max. Furthermore, players would be forced to make use of snipers across the game and would also find bandages as their only healer.
With Horde Rush, you’re looking at a four-man squad divided into multiple stages. Your job is to kill as many zombies, all-the-while protect a number of special locations across the map and beat the final boss to win.
The more zombies or fiends you kill, the harder the zombies would become as you progress through the game.
Fortnite Update 9.21 Patch Notes
The following are the new patch notes from Fortnite update 9.21.
LIMITED TIME MODE ROTATION:
One Shot Duos
Low Gravity. Every player has 50 health. Sniper weapons are the only weapon, Bandages are the only healing item. Jump high and aim well!
Horde Rush
Fortnite Fiends are back on the island and angrier than ever! Fight alongside your teammates to rack up your score by finding hidden score multipliers, opening special loot chests, and eliminating as many monsters as you can. Traverse across the map, survive all of the Defend locations and take down the Final Boss to win!
- Mode Details
- Four player Squad mode divided up into multiple stages.
- Prepare to defend an area by searching for weapons & items, scavenging materials, and building defenses.
- Rack up points by fighting Fiends, collecting score multipliers, and destroying Fiend Spawners.
- Recover from the battle and search for more equipment.
- Travel across the map to the next defense point.
- Respawning is enabled until the last stage when players have to destroy a Boss Fiend and his horde of minions.
- Keep an eye out for special loot chests, which contain powerful weapons & provide a scoring bonus.
WEAPONS + ITEMS
- Proximity Grenade Launcher
- Fires an arcing, bouncing, explosive projectile that explodes when in proximity of an opponent.
- Available in Epic and Legendary Rarities.
- Found from Chests, Loot Carriers, Supply Drops, and Vending Machines.
- Semi-Automatic.
- Uses Rocket Ammo.
- Holds 2 Explosive Rounds.
- Rate of Fire: 0.65 shots per second.
- Player Proximity Radius: 250 units (about half the width of a tile).
- Explosion Radius: 300 units (about 60% of the width of a tile).
- Explosion damage:
- Player: 67/70
- Environmental: 131/138
- Reload Speed: 2.8s/3s
- Projectiles explode automatically after 10s or if it has nearly come to a stop.
- Shield Potion
- Increased the availability from Chest loot from 11.3% to 12.09%
- Small Shield Potion
- Increased the availability from Chest loot from 16.95% to 18.13%
- With items being added and removed, we’ve noticed that Shield Potions and Small Shields have been less available in Chests. So we’ve increased the chance to find Shields from Chests to compensate for that.
- Shotguns
- Increased the overall chance to find from Floor loot from 8.50% to 9.77%
- After seeing the community’s feedback about Shotgun availability, we’ve increased the Shotgun availability from Floor Loot to make finding them in the early phases of the game easier.
- Infantry Rifle Epic and Legendary variants
- Increased the availability from Floor loot from .067% to .105%
- Increased the availability from Chest loot from .414% to .645%
- Heavy Assault Rifle Common variant
- Decreased the availability from Floor loot from 2.04% to 1.715%
- Decreased the availability from Chest loot from 12.47% to 10.46%
- Mounted Turret
- Decreased the availability from floor loot from .59% to .46%
- Storm Flip
- Adjusted Storm Flip to cause flat damage instead of being based on which Storm Phase is currently active.
- Causes 5 damage every second.
- This change may not be immediately available at the time of release. It requires a server update and will become active at some point later in the day.
- We noticed with scaling damage that players held onto their Storm Flip later into matches, creating undesirable effects. This change gives players more value in using it earlier in matches.
- Reduced the availability from Chests from 3.39% to 1.69%
- Reduced the availability from Floor loot from 3.32% to 1.66%
- Added back into the Arena and Tournament playlists.
- We have visual effect changes coming in v9.30 that will help improve readability.
- Adjusted Storm Flip to cause flat damage instead of being based on which Storm Phase is currently active.
AUDIO
Bug Fixes
- Audio was sounding muffled due to a filter optimization issue.
MOBILE
We’ve noticed iOS patches have experienced delays appearing in the App Store recently. Apple has stated that any application can take up to 24 hours to appear in the App Store. If no update is available, be sure to check our social channels for more info.
CREATIVE
What’s New?
Proximity Grenade Launcher
Imagine and create new maps to explore all the possibilities of this explosive new weapon!
WEAPONS + ITEMS
- Proximity Grenade Launcher
- Fires an arcing, bouncing, explosive projectile that explodes when in proximity of an opponent.
- Available in Epic and Legendary Rarities.
- Semi-Automatic.
- Uses Rocket Ammo.
- Holds 2 Explosive Rounds.
- Rate of Fire: 0.65 shots per second.
- Player Proximity Radius: 250 units (about half the width of a tile).
- Explosion Radius: 300 units (about 60% of the width of a tile).
- Explosion damage:
- Player: 67/70
- Environmental: 131/138
- Reload Speed: 2.8s/3s
- Projectiles explode automatically after 10s or if it has nearly come to a stop.
PREFABS
- Roadside Garage Gallery
- Grass & Mud Floor Gallery
- Forest & Grass Floor Gallery
- Grass & Forest Floor Gallery
- Sand & Rock Floor Gallery
- Dinosaur Prop Gallery
DEVICES
Bug Fixes
- Text placed on Billboards prior to the v9.20 release will no longer be misaligned.
SAVE THE WORLD
WHAT’S NEW?
Plasmatron 9000
Tongue twister: How fast can you say piercing plasma shots!
Quantum Countdown
Step right up, and try to keep your attention on the teleporting bomb.
MISSIONS + SYSTEMS
New Wargames simulation: Quantum Countdown
- In this simulation, an unstable bomb is teleporting around your base. The Husks are drawn to its energy and trying to destroy it. Quickly adapt to protect its new location as the Husks take new, and unexpected, routes.
- A new Wargames simulation means more chances for Event Tickets, a new banner, and more variety to the Daily Quests.
WEAPONS + ITEMS
- A new weapon, the Plasmatron 9000 arrives in the Weekly Store.
- Short ranged automatic energy pistol that shoots expanding rings of plasma that pierce enemies.
- Available Wednesday, June 12 at 8 PM Eastern Time until Wednesday, June 19 at 8 PM Eastern Time.
GENERAL
SOCIAL
- Added pop-up and Main Menu messaging to help players understand when their Xbox Live or PlayStation voice chat is being prioritized over Fortnite Party voice chat.
- These visuals appear only if someone else in your party is active in Fortnite Party voice chat, and will not reappear unless you join a different party.
- This is in response to players looking for guidance on various voice chat issues that were related to Xbox Live / Playstation party voice chat prioritization.
