Fortnite has been building towards no building for years

theverge.com:

It all started with swimming. When Fortnite ushered in its second chapter with the dramatic implosion of the game’s original island, it also added in a seemingly small feature: players could finally swim. But since then, the shooter has slowly morphed by continually making the game faster and more mobile. It may have come as a shock to some when building — one of the defining traits of Fortnite since its inception — was removed as part of the current season (even though it’s likely a temporary change). But it’s a shift that’s been a long time coming.

Ever since players could swim, developer Epic has continuously added new ways for people to get around in the game. There have been vehicles like planes and cars, zip lines and launch pads that speed you across the map, and even giant monsters that would toss you into the air. Last season introduced two extremely fun new mechanics: one let you slide down mountains with incredible speed, while another involved swinging through trees and buildings like Spider-Man. Not all of these things stick around permanently — I truly miss the goofy Klombo monsters — but those that remain have had a big impact on how you can navigate Fortnite’s world.

The current season, meanwhile, is notable for a few things. For starters, it adds sprinting and climbing, which, when combined, essentially let you parkour across sections of the Fortnite island. There are also vertical ziplines so you can quickly reach specific areas up high. When you put this together with all of the other changes over the years, you have a game that moves very fast, especially when you compare it to the early days of Fortnite.

Nothing’s out of reach anymore! Mantling is an all new mechanic that allows you to scale walls