Fortnite adds bullet-blocking Kingsman umbrellas

Another update, another week without patch notes - but it seems v12.30 has a couple of surprises in store for players, as two new items have been introduced.

Continuing this season's spy theme, Kingsman umbrellas are now available as legendary items in the game. Presumably these are based on the Kingsman comic and film series, particularly the scene in which Harry uses an umbrella to deck a bunch of thugs in a pub - and similarly, the item seems to be fairly useful in Fortnite too. You can use it to dart forwards, smash things, hit other players, and even block bullets (for a short amount of time). Like a very dapper riot shield.

The umbrellas even briefly work as a glider, but this has been causing problems for some players, who clearly assumed it would stay open for longer than three seconds. An easy mistake to make, given it looks very similar to Fortnite's famous victory umbrella gliders.

If you want to take the umbrella for a spin yourself, you can find it in the spy games along with regular battle royale modes, but seemingly not in Team Rumble.

The other noteworthy item added in the update is the crash pad, which inflates to prevent players from taking fall damage. These can be used even from great heights, making them particularly useful if you take a plunge mid-way through a build battle. Or if you want to get up to one.

In other update news, five mysterious items have appeared in the water around the Agency since the update. Personally I think they look like missile launchers, something that's supported by the work of dataminers, who found they were called "doomsday hatches". Even Fortnite can't catch a break.