Fortnite update 3.08 Patch Notes: What's included in the new Fortnite update
Big changes have arrived in Fortnite.
Fortnite update 15.50 went live on 2nd March, but the changes to Epic Games' iconic battle-royale title didn't stop there: a further update came on 4th March, to tinker with the game a little more. This update from 4th March is known as Fortnite update 3.08.
Of course, Fortnite is no stranger to updates, with Epic regularly dropping new content into the game and tweaking with the backend. It was only a few days ago, for example, that Ellen Ripley and the Xenomorph were added to the game as part of the Alien skins pack.
So what exactly has changed in Fortnite updates 15.50 and 3.08? Keep on reading and we'll break it all down for you.
Fortnite updates 15.50 and 3.08 release date, time and file size
Fortnite update 15.50 arrived at 9am GMT on 2nd March, so its release date and time is already in the past. The 3.08 update followed on 4th March at around 1pm GMT. If you haven't downloaded it already, you should be prompted to install the update next time you open the game on your device of choice. In terms of the update's file size, that will vary by platform. Reports on Twitter suggest that the 15.50 update falls somewhere between 1.20 GB and 4 GB depending on which console or other platform you choose to play on.
What's in the new Fortnite update 3.08?
The surprise Fortnite 3.08 update on 4th March 2021 was described by Epic Games on Twitter like so: "We've begun to deploy a maintenance patch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC that improves game stability. You will be prompted to download the patch at the end of your match or when launching the game. No server downtime will be required".
What happened in Fortnite update 15.50?
Summing up Fortnite's update 15.50 from 2nd March, Epic Games said in a succinct Tweet, "The Hand Cannon heads back to the vault, while another item returns. Spread the news! [...] New Island size in Creative & localized Featured Creative Hub support!" Speaking of that returning item: there seems to be hunger among the community for the Pump to return, but instead it looks like it's the Rapid Fire SMG that has come back into the game this time. Epic Games confirmed as much with a follow-up Tweet.
Fortnite update 15.50 and 3.08 Patch Notes
The Fortnite 3.08 update from 4th March is a simple maintenance patch that should make the game more stable, but update 15.50 from the 2nd March gave Fortnite a much bigger overhaul. The 15.50 update related mainly to the Creative side of the game, with Epic Games saying as much in a detailed blog aimed at Fortnite Creators. Below you'll find the full Patch Notes from that blog, in the words of Epic Games.
Large Islands
"In the v15.50 update, Large Islands will be introduced. These islands are 155X155 tiles or about 25 per cent larger than the previous Island. This will open up even greater possibilities within your Creative games. If you've had a Creative idea that needs just a bit more room to make happen, now's your chance to think big! We’ll continue to explore more opportunities to expand the size of islands and will share more on that in the future."
Creative Hub Localization
"Want to reach as many players as possible? One way to make sure your content can be enjoyed by everyone is to ensure your in-game text is optimised for every region. In the coming weeks, we'll begin to localise some of your featured content into the 13 languages available in Fortnite. Featured Hubs are up first, with plans to localise featured games in the future. In order for content to be localised, your language must be set to English the first time you publish.
"Below are specific steps to follow:
- Make sure all Billboard fonts are in “Burbank”*
- In the main Fortnite Settings, ensure “Language” is set to “English”
- Save and close Settings. Verify “Language” is set to English, you may need to reset your system for this to take effect.
- Begin a Creative server
- Enter the Island or Hub you plan to submit
- Publish the Island
- At this point, you can change your Language back to your default language
"*Note: Currently localisation can only be provided for Billboards using Burbank font, all other fonts are incompatible with other languages at this time.
"Longer-term there are plans to implement a system that won't require this workaround. In the meantime, taking this extra step will help make sure you don't miss out."
Islands Bug Fixes
"Fixed an issue where the party leader could not interact with Matchmaking Portals. Fixed an issue where players in parties were unable to matchmake via Island Code or Matchmaking Portals."
Weapons and Items Bug Fixes
"Fixed an issue where the Common and Uncommon Charge Shotguns were appearing in the wrong rarity categories."
Prefabs and Galleries
"Updated The Agency Galleries to include lighter texture variations.
- The Agency Wall Gallery A Light
- The Agency Wall Gallery B Light
Prefabs and Galleries Bug Fixes
"Fixed an issue where some fauna assets, from the Nature Snow Gallery, were missing snow. Previously placed versions may need to be replaced in maps. Fixed an issue where the curved walls, from The Agency Gallery, would sometimes show a black wall with no-collision."
Device Fixes
"Fixed an issue where the Changing Booth interact UI could appear in the wrong position. Fixed an issue where players would get temporarily stuck when exiting the Changing Booth."
Fortnite update 15.50 leaked items
Although it doesn't look like Epic Games has confirmed any of this, a user called @Lucas7Yoshi seems to have leaked the following image and several other insights into the update on Twitter. Rumours are also rife that a Peter Griffin skin will soon be added to Fortnite, possibly alongside other Family Guy items, but that doesn't seem to be confirmed yet.
Fortnite update slow download
Whenever any big game gets an update, some players will be struck by the curse of the slow download. If this happens to you with Fortnite's latest update, try taking these steps to counteract the slow speeds: close any apps and games you have open; cancel any other downloads that are currently running; move closer to your Wifi router, and connect up with an ethernet cable if you can.
- For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.
Fortnite server status and downtime
On Twitter, Epic Games confirmed that the downtime needed to get update 15.50 live has already taken place, so you don't need to worry about that right now. And the 3.08 update that followed on 4th March did not require any server downtime. That being said, it does look like some players reported problems to Down Detector, so there could have been some issues when the update went live.
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Authors
Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.
