Fortnite Patch Notes Detail Sneaky Snowmen, Giant Pyramids

Right on schedule, Fortnite's weekly patch has launched, and there are a few interesting things being added to the game this time around. The first is the Sneaky Snowman, a new item you can use to potentially get the drop on your enemies. There's also a massive structure being added to The Block this week, along with the return of a familiar limited-time game mode.

First, let's dive into what the Sneaky Snowman is capable of. Essentially, the Sneaky Snowman is a player-wearable suit that'll help you blend into the wintry environment a little better. By using primary fire with Sneaky Snowman equipped, you'll fire a projectile that creates a destructible snowman, potentially throwing enemies off your scent (assuming they don't see you do it, that is).

The Sneaky Snowman has 100 health, and Epic says it'll act like a shield when it's worn. It'll be destroyed when its health reaches zero or if you try to use another weapon or enter build mode while wearing it, so your options are fairly limited when you've got it equipped. Finally, it's a common item that drops in stacks of five, so expect to see it pop up frequently.

Next up we've got the return of Sniper Shootout, a limited-time game mode that tests your ability with scoped weapons. Sniper Shootout looks pretty similar to previous iterations of the mode, but now Suppressed Sniper Rifles have been added to the loot tables. Floor loot spawns have also been decreased by 50% and there's no reviving teammates in duos and squads, so you'll definitely want to play with caution.

With this update, The Block has been updated to feature a massive pyramid put together by a player named Directingpete, which you can see in the image above. Epic's patch notes don't describe this pyramid in any real depth, only telling players to drop in and "discover the secrets it holds inside." If you make a habit of checking out the new structures on The Block each week, it sounds like you'll definitely want to carve out some time to explore this pyramid.

Finally, a number of items have had their drop chances reduced in this patch, including Gliders, Balloons, Quad Crashers, and X-4 Stormwings. The Quad Rocket Launcher, Port-A-Fortress, and Grappler have all been vaulted as well, so we're saying goodbye to those for the time being. You can read Epic's full patch notes over on its website for more, but otherwise, have fun roaming the in-game map as you pretend to be a snowman.