Fortnite Season 6 will bring major spatial audio improvements

Fortnite, despite being great, isn't perfect. Players have a variety of criticism and feedback about certain elements, audio consistently being one category that many players feel needs improvement. Epic Games has been listening and is back with a solution to many problems, revealing upcoming updates that will offer better distinction between footstep sound effects, improved spatialization, and more.

Many shooting games rely on visual and audio cues to help players figure out where other players are located, but these are particularly important in battle royale titles, where players are likely to sneak up on someone else. Epic says it plans to release some important audio updates in Season 6 that will help players better discern their environment.

The version 6.00 update will bring a greater contrast between footstep sounds that happen above and below the person. As well, there will be a boost in high-frequency audio to help players figure out the steps' location and make them perceivable when there's heavy combat.

As well, the v6.00 update will brings improved glider sounds, including a doppler-based glider audio effect that informs players about incoming threats. If a glider passes over the player, they'll hear a "car passing by" noise; there will also be improved spatialization when gliding and skydiving. Players will soon be able to hear the open and close sound of gliders from farther distances, too.

That's just the version 6.00 update. Later on in Season 6, Epic plans to release other audio updates, adding tells for in-air movements such as falling and being flung by shockwaves. The company says this will help players figure out when an emery launches behind them, as well as figuring out where and how the player approaches.

Finally, Epic will also fix any audio bugs where sound fails to play.

SOURCE: Epic Games