Fortnite today added cross-platform voice chat, a feature that lets friends talk even if they’re not currently playing the game. Party Hub, which is available in the game’s mobile apps, lets you see which of your friends are online and start audio conversations with them. The feature is based on similar technology developed by Houseparty, the group video chat app that Fortnite maker Epic acquired in June.
For now, chat is limited to audio, though the company says that text chatting is under development. (Whether it someday adds video chat, which is Houseparty’s core feature, remains an open question.)
You can talk to friends in the Party Hub even if they’re playing a game and you’re not. Or, if you start a conversation in the mobile app…