Fortnite update v8.10 has sparked a bit of confusion. On top of adding
hamster balls and one-shot weapon vending machines, the update made some changes to the way Fortnite Battle Royale cross-play is handled. Where PS4, Xbox One, and
Nintendo Switch players were previously grouped together, PS4 and Xbox One players are now in one group while
Switch and mobile players are in another.
This means
Switch players will automatically matchmake with mobile players and other
Switch players. However, it
doesn't mean
Switch players can no longer play with PS4 and Xbox One folks. To do so, they'll just need to party up, similar to the way mobile and PC players will only play with each other if they're in a cross-play party.
The "motivating factor" behind this change was "unlocking optimization potential allowing us to run more playlists during more hours of the day while supporting more data center locations," Epic said in
the patch notes. In other words,
Switch and mobile Fortnite players now have their own server ecosystem because - presumably due to their player populations or their in-game performance - it's more efficient to put them together rather than lump
Switch in with PS4 and Xbox One.