Fortnite 18.20 update patch notes: Combat AR vs SMG, Return Requests, Impostor changes, more

Liam Mackay
Cube in Fortnite Season 8

Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 8 continues with the 18.20 update in which players can vote for either the Combat Assault Rifle or SMG to return, changes to the Impostor mode arrive, and Return Requests now refresh. Here’s everything you need to know about the update.

Fortnite Season 8 continues to bring new items, cosmetics, and POIs to the hit battle royale. Fortnite’s 18.20 update isn’t as impactful as the previous 18.10, but it brings some incredibly helpful quality of life changes.

Here’s everything new in Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 8’s 18.20 update.

Fortnite Season 8: 18.20 update patch notes

Combat Assault Rifle vs Combat SMG vote

Fortnite Combat AR vs Combat SMG

By using the all-new Donation Boards, players can vote whether they would like to see the Combat Assault Rifle or Combat SMG make a return to the game.

All players must work together to fill the Donation Boards up with Gold Bars until one of the choices reaches 100% Funded, and then it will return to the game.

Fortnite Return Requests refresh yearly after 18.20

Fortnite Submit Return Request page

“Lifetime Return Requests” have now become “Return Requests,” which means that used Return Request tickets will refresh after 365 days.

Before 18.20, once you had used all three Return Requests to refund unwanted cosmetics, that was it. But now, “If you use one, it will refresh 365 days following the most recent Return Request that was refreshed.”

Fortnite 18.20 update XP changes

Epic Games announced that XP has changed in the 18.20 update, where repeatable Shared Quests now reward much more XP.

Here’s the before and after comparison.

Rarityv18.10v18.20
Common5002,500
Uncommon5252,650
Rare5502,750
Epic5752,900
Legendary7503,750

Fortnite 18.20 update Impostor Mode changes

Epic Games announced that the Imposter Mode, inspired by Among Us, will get a new Role Bias feature and include open Voice Chat.

Fortnite Impostors mode teaser

With Role Bias, you can select if you prefer to be an Impostor or an Agent, and you’ll have a much higher chance of playing as your selected pick.

And there’s now a new Impostors playlist where open Voice Chat is enabled, so Impostors and Agents can communicate during the round. However, players can still select the standard mode with Quick Chat enabled.

Stay with Squad option added in Fortnite 18.20

Players will now have the option to Stay with Squad following the 18.20 update, which means they can choose to play with their “Fill” teammates again.

This feature is currently only enabled in NA-East servers and can be used in Duos, Trios, and Squads modes. Epic will roll the feature to the rest of the world “at a later date.”

New and updated skins in Fortnite 18.20 update

Thanks to leaker HYPEX, we know several of the skins that have arrived in the 18.20 update, as well as those that have been updated.

Shadow Midas is now reactive and has one Gold Hand and one Dark Hand. HYPEX said that the skin evolves with kills.

There are also four new skins, some of which have a ton of customization. You can check them out in the embedded tweets below.

HYPEX has also revealed the customization options for these new skins.

Fortnite 18.20 update major bug fixes

  • Fixed an issue involving players not being able to use a Fishing Rod while in the passenger seat of a Motorboat or in the back of an OG Bear truck.
  • Fixed an issue involving Battle Pass page unlock progress not always tracking correctly.
  • Fixed an issue involving Nintendo Switch players not being heard in voice chat by players on other consoles.
  • With the global war effort in full swing again, J.B. Chimpanski’s Questline has been re-enabled.

And that’s everything there is to know about Fortnite’s 18.20 update! This also marks the second week of Fortnitemares, so expect some more spooky changes.

Image Credit: Epic Games

About The Author

Liam is CharlieIntel's Editor. After graduating in Journalism from Edinburgh Napier University, Liam made use of his passion for FPS games, including Call of Duty, by writing for sites such as The Nerd Stash, Red Bull Gaming, and GAMINGbible before joining CharlieIntel in November 2020. You can contact Liam at [email protected].