Fortnite’s First Update Since Layoffs Adds Finger Guns Weapon, Big Heads and Shoulder Riding — All Just for 24 Hours

Fortnite has released its first major update since last month’s devastating layoffs, which left more than 1,000 staff at Epic Games out of work. Today’s additions to battle royale gameplay are comedic yet sizable — and will only last 24 hours.

Today is, of course, April Fool’s Day — and Fortnite is leaning into the fun by adding a new weapon to its main Battle Royale mode, as well as its sister offerings Reload and Blitz. The weapon is… finger guns, where your character will really just make finger gun gestures at an enemy for damage.

Also added today — and just for today — are big heads, reminiscent of the look you’d often unlock in classic video games via the use of cheat codes. Amusingly, developer Epic Games has admitted it has struggled implementing this with the slender Peely the banana man, who instead now has a Cuddle Team Leader mask plonked on top.

YOU CAN STACK MULTIPLE PLAYERS 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/y9NBJldpgV

— HYPEX (@HYPEX) April 1, 2026

The April Fool’s additions continue with shoulder riding, a seemingly major mechanic where players can clamber up and give each others piggy back rides — allowing your teammates to shoot while up on your