Fortnite v40.20 arrived on April 16, 2026, making Save the World free-to-play and adding Festival features including Mic Vocals and Pro Drums. Epic calls the vocal feature “Mic Vocals,” not “Pro Vocals.”
Is Fortnite Save the World free?
Yes. Epic Games Player Support says, “Save the World is free-to-play as of April 16, 2026. No purchase is required.” The free launch gives players access to the full experience, but free players and longtime Founders have different in-game currency rewards.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Fortnite eGift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Fortnite eGift Card | $25.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Fortnite Physical Gift Card | $30.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Fortnite eGift Card | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Fortnite Physical Gift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Free players and Founders
| Player type | Access | Currency rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Free player | Full Save the World experience | Earns X-Ray Tickets for llamas and shop items |
| Founder who purchased Save the World before it became free | Full Save the World experience | Retains the ability to earn V-Bucks from Daily Quests, Mission Alerts, and Storm Shield Defense missions |
These are distinct reward paths: free access does not grant Founders’ V-Bucks earnings. See Epic Games Player Support’s Save the World access and rewards details.
How do I play Fortnite Save the World?
- Download and launch Fortnite on a supported platform.
- Open the Play screen.
- Choose the Save the World tile under Other Experiences by Epic.
Epic lists PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch 2 as supported. Save the World is not available on the original Nintendo Switch, smartphones, or tablets, according to Epic’s support page.
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#1 Best Overall
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
What did Fortnite v40.20 add to Save the World?
Cross-mode quests and rewards
The v40.20 event connected Save the World with Battle Royale through crossover quests offering rewards in both modes. Jess and Penny appeared as Battle Royale quest givers. Complete two of Jess’s quests to buy the Super Shredder sniper from her in-match; complete the full crossover questline to unlock the Super Shredder Schematic in Save the World.
In Save the World, earning 350,000 XP during the event unlocked the Jess Outfit for the Locker. This was a v40.20 event reward, not a continuing offer. The update also described a Dark Voyager questline awarding People XP, Schematic XP, and an Upgrade Llama. Details are in Epic’s v40.20 Save the World and Showdown Act II notes.
Rank #2
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Other Showdown Act II changes
The announcement named the Hammer Revolver, Super Shredder, STW Base Expansion, IO Recon Scanner, Cube Rifle, Reforged Infinity Blade, Seven Base Mega Vortex Beacon, and Ice Biome Slipstreams. It also noted an Exotic Pool refresh with the Eradicator O.X.R. Rifle, Eradicator Marksman Wrecker Revolver, and Shadow Tracker. These are the update’s historical additions, not a statement about what is available in the current game.
What Festival features came with v40.20?
Epic’s Festival developer post identifies the vocal feature as Mic Vocals. It also lists Main Stage and Pro Drums, plus three Jam Track features:
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Rank #3
- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
- Quick Mix
- Jam Traversal, which lets players move while jamming
- Lobby Music Player
The update notes describe the Lobby Music Player as providing play, pause, volume, next, and previous controls for equipped lobby music. The Festival team’s v40.20 developer feedback post names Mic Vocals but does not specify supported microphones or platform requirements, so it does not establish compatibility for any particular mic or setup.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When did Fortnite v40.20 release?
Epic’s release notes date v40.20 to April 16, 2026. Alongside the player-facing Save the World and Festival changes, Epic’s creator-focused notes covered Custom Items and Inventory entering Beta, Star Wars tool updates, new Verse fields functionality for interactive UI, and new prefabs and galleries. See Epic’s v40.20 Fortnite ecosystem release notes.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
Rank #4
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
