Fortnite's Battle Lab mode returns as suddenly as it disappeared

By Brittany Roston/

With its Fortnite update last week, Epic quietly removed the game's Battle Lab mode — and though it later confirmed that it had intentionally removed it, the company didn't offer an explanation about why it made this decision. Content creators in particular were upset about this removal, noting that they relied on the mode for creating a variety of videos.

Now, only days after its removal, Epic has announced that Battle Lab is back in Fortnite, though it offered neither an explanation for its removal nor why it decided to bring the game mode back. The announcement was made in a tweet, though you'll likely notice it in the game mode selection screen, as well.

We don't know why Epic removed the mode to start with and whether the outcry from players had a role in getting it back. Regardless, creators and everyone else can now return to the sandbox game mode to roam free across the entire Fortnite battle royale island without any interference from other players.

Though Battle Lab isn't one of the more popular game modes, it serves a great purpose — unlike Creative, which is a portal for creating islands or playing games, Battle Lab is the regular island you play on in Solo, Duos, and other battle royale game modes.

The sandboxed island is important for getting high-quality screenshots without worrying about other players who may be nearby. Likewise, it can be used to set up trick shots and practice strategies with friends or bots in preparation for actual gameplay battles.

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