Epic promises audio improvements for Fortnite 8.01

Fortnite fans are still enjoying last week’s massive season eight update, but many will have noticed that certain things need fixing. One of those is the audio for a bunch of weapons and items, which Epic Games is already working on fixing.

Seth Weedin, Fortnite’s technical sound designer, has detailed a number of big audio improvements that will roll out in a version 8.01 patch.

Fortnite season eight brought major changes to Battle Royale, with brand new locations to explore, and a brand new Battle Pass with over 100 items to unlock. As is always the case with major Fortnite updates, version 8.0 also brought some bugs that now need fixing.

Some of those bugs affect a few of the game’s many sound affects, and Epic is promising they’ll be fixed in an upcoming patch.

Audio improvements for Fortnite 8.01

Here are the improvements Weedin promised in a post on Reddit:

• Improvement to the standard AR sound so that it’s not overbearing on the shooter.
  • Tightened up the sound, so it’s more of a BLaaam versus a BLAAAM.
• Building Piece destroy sound is louder when instigated by enemies.
  • Helps mitigate scenarios where “that guy Hand Cannon’d a wall behind me and I didn’t hear it”.
• Footstep audio blends in the above/below layers, rather than abruptly switching between them.
  • Prevents jarring footstep transitions between floors directly above or below. Should clear up some confusion.
• Footstep occlusion traces from the heads of enemies when they’re above or below.
  • This helps mitigate scenarios where an enemy has line-of-sight on you but their footsteps still sound muffled/occluded.
• Reduce volume of the S8 palm tree umbrella.
  • This only affects the umbrella open/close layers. Don’t worry, the steel drum riff volume is preserved.

Another palm tree umbrella bug, which prevents some players from hearing its audio effects altogether, will also be fixed.

When will Fortnite 8.01 be available?

Fortnite fans can expect the version 8.01 patch to roll out on Tuesday, March 5. It won’t be a big update, but you can expect other fixes and performance tweaks to come alongside the audio improvements.

We also expect the update to bring a brand new “Buried Treasure” item, which Epic has started teasing inside Battle Royale. It seems you’ll be able to use the item to “scour the island for hidden loot,” which others won’t be able to locate.

Game file data suggests that loot will be dubbed “Pirate Booty.” It’s not clear if it will contain weapons and items already available in Battle Royale, or new, pirate-themed items that we haven’t seen yet.