Epic Games has released a new update for the PC version of Fortnite which vastly decreases its file size on the platform, which will no doubt be a relief for regular players.
Since it grew in popularity, Fortnite has ballooned to a monstrous 90GB on PC, likely due to regular seasonal updates and assets being left behind which are no longer in regular rotation. Now, it seems Epic Games is taking steps to address this.
Version 14.40 is now available and slashes the overall file size of Fortnite by two thirds, with the overall download now sitting at a much more reasonable 27 GB. It’s a long overdue refresh of the battle royale, and will free up some space ahead of the big blockbuster releases coming later this year.
“Please note the patch size will be larger than normal on PC (approx. 27 GB). This is to make optimizations on PC resulting in a massively reduced Fortnite file size (over 60 GB smaller), smaller downloads for future patches, and improved loading performance,” reads a tweet from the official Fortnite account.
We're beginning to disable services in preparation for v14.40. If you're currently in a session, you can continue to play until downtime starts at approx. 4 AM ET (08:00 UTC). pic.twitter.com/nCVVdiDSeO
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) October 21, 2020
Fortnite is still in the midst of a season inspired by Marvel’s Avengers, with players being able to earn a variety of different superhero skins and other cosmetics. With any luck, the next seasonal update will be arriving close to the launch of PS5 and Xbox Series X. For now, you can jump into the new Halloween update when it lands later this week.
We recently revisited Fortnite, and it remains one of the best and most accessible battle royale experiences out there: “Fortnite is a battle royale phenomenon no matter how far you slice it, evolving from an underwhelming third-person shooter into one of the biggest and most recognisable brands on the planet. Epic Games has achieved something truly special here, and I’m eager to watch its growth go even further,” reads our 4/5 review.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
