Fortnite 8.10 adds giant hamster balls and free vending machines

Fortnite's latest patch finally lets players live out their dreams of becoming an agile hamster. The Baller is a new vehicle with a boost and grapple that will let you pull off "unbelievable feats", and it's accompanied by a bunch of one-time free vending machines and more markers. 

If you want to take the hamster ball for a spin yourself, you'll find them at outposts and pirate camp loot stashes. Previously impassable obstacles will be completely ignored as you pull yourself up mountains and swing from the trees like a giant, spherical Tarzan. 

Obviously sitting in one of these things makes you a big target, but drivers will be protected from damage by their transparent shell. The ball itself can be damaged, however, and has 300 health. 

If you only find yourself coming across vending machines when you're broke, the vending machine overhaul should cheer you up. The material cost has been thrown out, so you're now guaranteed an item when you hit one of them up. But only one! These new vending machines aren't very well made, unfortunately, and they will blow up once you use them. 

The marker system, which every team game should have, has also been improved. It was significantly expanded at the start of Season 8, undoubtedly in response to Apex Legends' fantastic ping system. Epic's added some more features, including the ability to mark vehicles and consumables, as well as being able to hover over markers to get additional details. 

And then there's this major addition. 

  • Reduced infinite dab duration from 12 hours to 11 hours in the front end.
  • Just kidding, Increased Infinite dab duration from 12 hours to 13 hours in the front end.

Fortnite 8.10 is out now, and you can check out the full patch notes here

Fraser Brown
Online Editor

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.