Fortnite High Stakes Update, Challenges, And Rewards Are Live

After a slight delay, Fortnite's 5.40 update has finally arrived on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. Along with introducing another new item to Battle Royale, the Grappler, the patch marks the start of the High Stakes event, which features a new limited-time mode and its own set of challenges to complete. Aside from the standard newly added Week 9 challenges, here's what the rewards are that you can earn from taking part in High Stakes.

The High Stakes challenges are tied to the new LTM, Getaway. Unlike a typical game of Battle Royale, this heist-themed mode divides players into teams of four, with the objective being to find one of the four safes scattered around the island, extracting the (appropriately llama-shaped) jewel housed within, and making it safely to the getaway van.

There are three High Stakes challenges in all, which will reward you with XP and new High Stakes cosmetics. Each is fairly straightforward and can be reasonably completed by taking part in enough Getaway matches. You can see the full list of High Stakes challenges, and the rewards they confer, below.

• Play matches of The Getaway (10) -- 5,000 XP
• Deal damage to Jewel-carrying opponents (500) -- Suited Up spray
• Pick up a Jewel in different matches of The Getaway (5) -- Cash Flow skydiving trail cosmetic

If you manage to complete all three of the challenges before the High Stakes event ends next week, you'll unlock one final reward: an exclusive Crowbar skin for your pickaxe. Additionally, developer Epic offering a new Wildcard skin in the Fortnite store throughout the event, which comes with four interchangeable masks and a Cuff Case back bling.

Epic is also selling a new Ace Pack. It runs for $5 and comes with two similarly heist-themed cosmetics: the Ace Outfit and the Swag Bag back bling, which looks like a duffle bag stuffed with cash. You'll also receive 600 V-Bucks--Fortnite's in-game currency--for purchasing the Ace Pack, making it a particularly good value.

As previously mentioned, Fortnite's 5.40 patch also added a new traversal tool to the game's arsenal, the Grappler. This gun can be fired at walls and used to launch yourself around the map. Meanwhile, Week 9's set of challenges are now live and include a Shifty Shafts treasure map and a search for different stone heads.