Fortnite 20.40 update patch notes: Loot Lake Doomsday device, live event leaks, Sideways Showdown, more

Liam Mackay
fortnite 20.40 update patch notes

Fortnite Chapter 3, Season 2’s final major update, 20.40, is here. This brings Ali-A’s Icon Series, the Sideways Showdown week, Loot Lake map changes, and the Doomsday Device which appears to be setting up a season-ending live event.

Fortnite Chapter 3, Season 2 is drawing to a close, but that isn’t stopping Epic Games from keeping the content coming. Soon after Scarlet Witch and the Star Wars Day celebration arrived in the 20.30 update, the 20.40 update has brought Ali-A’s Icon Series and overhauled the Loot Lake POI with the new Doomsday Device.

Here’s everything we know about Fortnite’s 20.40 update, including the changes to Loot Lake, the Sideways Showdown Week, live event leaks, bug fixes, and more.

Fortnite ali-a skin and styles

Fortnite v20.40 patch notes

Doomsday Device arrives at Loot Lake with Fortnite 20.40 update

Fortnite data miners have discovered that Fortnite’s 20.40 update has brought the Doomsday Device to Loot Lake, and it appears to tie in with a live event that we’ll see in Chapter 3 Season 3.

The Doomsday Device is a huge tower at Loot Lake’s shore, surrounded by small buildings that’ll be perfect for looting. Popular leaker HYPEX said: “The Doomsday Device is set to have some periodic pulses that either enable glider redeploy, low gravity or extra speed,” but they explained that these features might not make it into the update.

Sideways Showdown Week in Fortnite 20.40 update

Wild Weeks are back for the last few weeks of Fortnite Season 2, with the Sideways weapons returning as part of 20.40’s Sideways Showdown.

The Sideways Rifle and Sideways Minigun have returned and can be found as floor loot and in chests. With no Cube Monster Parts to upgrade them, you can now just take them to an Upgrade Bench.

There’s a new set of challenges and you’ll have until May 24 to complete them before the next Wild Week.

JB Chimpanski using sideways rifle in Fortnite

Live event found in Fortnite 20.40 update

Fortnite players were devasted when Chapter 3, Season 1 didn’t end with a live event, but it appears Season 2 will bring one.

Data miners have been browsing the 20.40 game files and discovered a season-ending live event, which is set to be followed by “extended downtime” ahead of Season 3. Shiina also said that “Multiple cosmetics will be available for the event,” believing that Paradigm and Jonesy will play a part.

With Season 2 set to wrap up on June 3, we’d expect the event to arrive around this date, with Season 3 kicking off a couple of days after.

Ali-A arrives with Fortnite 20.40 update

Top Fortnite YouTuber Ali-A arrives with the 20.40 update, where players can earn the free ‘Ali-A Was Here’ Spray as soon as the update is live.

All players need to do is head to the Ali-A Experience Island (code: 5135-8778-2901) and Eliminate 25 opponents. Then, the YouTuber’s Spray will be yours for free.

Players can then either win the Ali-A Icon Series skin in the Ali-A Cup or purchase it from the Item Shop, where the set includes a Back Bling that doubles up as a Glider, a Pickaxe, Wrap, and Emote.

Fortnite Ali-A Was Here Spray

Fortnite 20.40 update bug fixes

Thanks to Epic Games’ Trello board of Fortnite community issues, we can see the issues that are confirmed to be fixed in the next game update, which is 20.40.

  • General Top Issues
    • Players do not receive toast notifications while in a match in a party with another player
    • Traps may sometimes not place immediately
  • Battle Royale Top Issues
    • Anvil Rocket Launcher UI missing
  • Creative Top Issues
    • Joining a Creative game in progress may lock the new player out until the round ends

For more Fortnite, be sure to check out how to call in an Air Strike on a Tank to help complete the Weekly Quests.

Image Credit: Epic Games

About The Author

Liam is CharlieIntel's Editor who focuses on Call of Duty but also plays lots of fantasy RPGs or anything else in his massive gaming backlog. After graduating in Journalism from Edinburgh Napier University, Liam freelanced in games journalism before joining CharlieIntel in November 2020. You can contact Liam at [email protected].