Fortnite Adds New Physics System, Brings Back the Launch Pad

A new Fortnite update is here, and while the patch notes for this latest version -- v11.40 -- are relatively brief, the underlying meaning is actually very significant. In addition to unvaulting the Launch Pad, the popular video game has an entirely new physics system. Given that, it's possible that the following days will be a wild time in the game as everything normalizes.

Additionally, while the patch notes indicate that a new event is set to start soon, the current version merely states that folks should check back soon. What kind of event that might be remains unclear at the moment, but it's possible that Epic Games has something in store for Valentine's Day or even some kind of Birds of Prey event in the pipeline. Whatever it is, we should find out today.

Here are all the battle royale-relevant patch notes for patch v11.40, straight from Epic Games:

The new event starts soon! Check back here later today for more details.

In non-competitive playlists, the Launch Pad has been unvaulted.

Implemented Unreal Engine's Chaos physics system, mentioned previously here.

At launch, our goal is to ensure that Fortnite still feels like what you would expect. We'll be closely monitoring your feedback from the in-game Feedback tool for any issues you may be experiencing.

To report issues via the in-game Feedback tool, select Feedback in the main menu and choose Bug. We encourage you to put "Physics" in the subject line and include a concise message in the body that accurately describes the issue(s) you're experiencing.

Bug fixes:

Resolved an issue involving some players' completion of the "Search chests in a single match" Chaos Rising Challenge not being saved.

The "Earn Gold Scavenger Medals" Rippley vs. Sludge Overtime Challenge now tracks progress properly.

The Sidegrading feature is no longer present in competitive playlists. Its presence in these playlists was unintentional, as noted in our v11.40 post.

Resolved an issue involving new players on consoles having difficulty matchmaking after first linking their Epic account.

Addressed reports of iOS players activating their device's swipe-up feature when trying to press inventory buttons.

What do you think about Fortnite unvaulting the Launch Pad? Are you excited to play in whatever event is coming? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!

Fortnite is now available on basically every modern console and mobile device as well as PC. The latest patch, v11.50, includes the above updates. Chapter 2 - Season 2 is set to begin on February 20th. You can check out all of our previous coverage of Fortnite right here.

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