why is my fortnite update so big

The reason Fortnite updates can be so big is mainly due to how the game packages and delivers its updates. Fortnite uses encrypted .pak files that can be very large, so even a small bug fix or change that falls within a big pak file can cause a large update download. Additionally, sometimes the game mistakenly re-downloads the entire game instead of just the patch, which can make the update size appear extremely large—often tens of gigabytes. This issue can be caused by corrupted files or installer glitches. A common workaround is to cancel the update and restart it through the Epic Games Launcher, which then usually reduces the download size to the actual update rather than the entire game reinstall. This packaging system and occasional reinstallation cause Fortnite updates to be much larger compared to other games.