Honestly, if you told me five years ago that I’d be watching a foul-mouthed Eric Cartman in a giant mech suit hit a Griddy after sniped-locking a Golden Coast lobby, I’d have called you insane. But here we are. The v39.20 new update for fortnite just dropped, and it is a weird, chaotic, and strangely brilliant mess.
Epic Games didn't just add some skins and call it a day. They basically overhauled how we play the game for the next month. We’ve got a literal Stick of Truth falling from the sky, a free mini-pass that actually feels worth the grind, and a five-player team mode that changes the math of every single build fight.
The Cartmanland Takeover and the "Quints" Experiment
The most immediate change is the map. Wonkeeland is gone, replaced by Cartmanland. It’s a bright, primary-colored deathtrap filled with enough Easter eggs to make any long-time fan happy. But the real story is the "Quints" mode.
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For the first time ever, Epic is letting us queue up in five-player squads. It’s only available until February 5, 2026, so it feels like a massive stress test. Playing with four friends instead of three is... loud. It’s cluttered. Communication breaks down instantly. But man, the team-shooting potential is terrifying. If you run into a coordinated five-stack, you’re basically a goner before you can even swap to your shotgun.
What's Actually in the Born in Chaos Pass?
Most people are used to paying 1,000 V-Bucks for these mini-passes. Not this time. The Born in Chaos Pass is completely free. You just play the game, earn "Cred" (the new event currency), and unlock stuff.
- Imaginationland Airship Glider: This is the big reward for finishing all the quests.
- Cheesy Poofs Rocketship Emote: Exactly what it sounds like. It’s ridiculous.
- Backpack of CRED: A back bling that looks like a high-end designer bag.
- Terrance and Phillip Pickaxe: A dual-wielded nightmare.
The actual South Park skins—Stan, Kyle, Cartman, Kenny, and Butters—are in the shop for 4,000 V-Bucks for the whole bundle. They’re wearing "mech suits" to make them fit the character hitboxes, which was a smart move by Epic. It avoids the Peter Griffin "buff" problem while keeping the characters recognizable.
The New Meta: Stick of Truth and Flex SMGs
If you're trying to win games right now, you need to know about the Stick of Truth. It’s a single-use Mythic that spawns from Rift Anomalies. If you get it, you can literally force the Storm to shrink around your current position. It’s the ultimate "I’m staying right here" button for the final circle.
Then there's the Flex SMG. This thing is weirdly versatile.
- ADS (Aiming Down Sights): It fires slower but hits like a truck. It’s basically a mini-AR.
- Hipfire: It turns into a traditional spray-and-pray SMG.
Most pros are already saying it’s better than the Dual Micro SMGs because it doesn't punish you for taking a mid-range fight. Pair it with the Deadeye Assault Rifle, which is still the king of the meta due to its zero-recoil hitscan shots, and you've got a winning loadout.
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A Quick Note on the OG Sky Lighting
If the game looks "better" to you today, you aren't imagining it. Epic quietly rolled back the lighting to the OG Season 7 style. The colors are more saturated, the nights are darker, and the atmosphere feels much more like the 2018 era. It’s a small tweak, but it makes the Golden Coast feel less like a sterile tech demo and more like a playground.
Actionable Tips for the v39.20 Update:
- Focus on the Quests Early: Since the Born in Chaos pass is free, the lobbies are going to be sweatier than usual as people grind for Cred. Do your quests in the Quints mode where you have more backup.
- Kenny’s Respawn Token is OP: If you find this item, keep it. It automatically triggers a reboot if you're downed, which is a literal life-saver in the late game.
- Abuse the Deadeye AR: Until the next update on January 22, the Deadeye remains the most broken gun in the game. Use the built-in scope to beam people before they even realize you're there.
- Visit Cartmanland for Loot: The new POI has a higher-than-average chest spawn rate, but it’s a hot drop. Expect to fight at least three other squads the moment your boots hit the ground.
The new update for fortnite is definitely a polarizing one. Some people hate the "mech" designs for the South Park crew, and others think five-player squads are too chaotic. But honestly? It’s the most fun I’ve had with the game since Chapter 7 started. Just make sure you finish that pass before February 5, or you're going to miss out on the best free glider we've seen in years.