Fortnite's new season drops building from its main mode
Fortnite Chapter 3, Season 2 is underway and this time around Epic has temporarily ditched one of the game's core mechanics: building. Your harvesting tool will still destroy objects, but you won't receive any wood, stone or metal to create a temporary base or instantly build a barrier to protect yourself from enemy fire.
Building will still be available in competitive, creative and Save the World modes — it's only gone in casual queues for now. It seems that restoring builds will be a key part of this season's storyline (at least in the early going).
To make up for the lack of building (and last season's excellent web shooters being removed), Epic Games has added some more movement mechanics. The default run is now faster, and you'll be able to sprint even more quickly for short bursts. If you sprint at or slide into a door, you'll bust it open. Also new is the ability to mantle onto ledges that are just a little too high to land on with your feet.
In addition, players now have an overshield on top of their health and regular shield, giving them 50 extra shield points. When an enemy attacks, your overshield will be depleted first. Unlike health and shields, your overshield will recharge by itself.
Many, many other battle royales have popped up in the wake of PUBG. Building was one of the key features that helped Epic set Fortnite apart and make it one of the most popular games on the planet. Disabling builds for now gives Epic a chance to gauge player reactions, possibly with an eye on offering a permanent build-free mode.
Elsewhere, an Armored Battle Bus is on the way to Resistance-occupied points of interest, while there are blimps packed with loot at Imagined Order-controlled sites. As is typically the case, Epic has vaulted some weapons and items while adding new ones and unvaulting some others. It refreshed the map with some new areas too.
Until April 3rd, Epic and Xbox are donating all their proceeds from Fortnite to Ukraine relief efforts. That includes sales of V-Bucks, gifted Battle Passes and Fortnite Crew subscriptions.