In Chapter 3, Season 4 of Fortnite, players were introduced to the idea of the High and Low Security Vaults. In order to crack the vault, players had to find and use either one or two keys to open the door. Inside, players could find a plethora of loot, shield and ammo, and possibly even an altercation from players on the hunt for an easy kill.

After giving us a couple of weeks to adjust with keys and vaults, in Week 3 Fortnite added a single or double key holo chest. You may be wondering what these holo chests are and how to open them, so we're going to explain that to you in this article!

What Are Holo Chests?

Holo chests are a grouping of three to four black, locked cases which can be found around the map. These are essentially “miniature vaults” which allow a player to pick a single weapon or item of choice. On the front of the cases, you can see either one or two keyholes, and a translucent hologram of the item inside which is projected above the box. You should be able to see both the type of weapon and the tier of the item from the hologram projected above the chest, and selecting the item will give you a more detailed description of the type of item, weapon, or amount of something locked in the case.

As you are moving about the island, you may notice these groupings of locked black boxes tucked behind a building, in a pumpkin patch, or other random places you may find. We went from under twenty unlockable items on the map to now a spawn point to over eighty possibilities, so your likelihood of obtaining loot from something locked has increased dramatically.

What Is Inside Holo Chests?

Inside a single-locked holo chest, a player can get a ground loot-type weapon, usually of Epic or Legendary status. You can get most weapons from the loot pool, but not every possible gun. At some holo chest locations, a player can unlock an Exotic weapon like the Boom Sniper or The Dub. Instead of having to run to the specific NPC that offers these Exotic weapons for gold bars, you can now search for holo chests, keep your gold, and still get your favorite Exotic gun.

Some holo chests also possess healing items, like Slurp Fish or Chili Chug Splashes. If you are low health or running from the storm, finding a holo chests that contain health items may just save your life and get you back to full health/shield to go on to win the Victory Royale.

How To Open Holo Chests

Once a player obtains at least one key, all the unlockable items on the map will appear, whether an enemy player has opened the item or not. Another interesting feature is that when a player holding a key gets close to a holo chest, the location will emit a ping in your game field vision so you can notice the location of the holo chests without opening your map and hunting for them. To find the holo chests with ease, turn in the direction you hear the location sound, and a lock icon will appear in your field of vision. Using both your mini map and the in-game tracking, it is easy to find a holo chest and get an upgraded weapon. Your only problem may be keys.

How to Use Holo Keys and Vault Keys

When approaching a vault or holo chest, you will be able to identify if a locked item will require one or two keys. You will be able to see this in the number of locks the vaults or holo chests have on the door or front of the case. High Security Vaults and holo chests that have Exotic weapons/Chili Chug Splashes, typically require two keys, while Low Security Vaults, ground loot weapon holo chests, and basic health items in holo chests usually require only one key.

Where to Find Holo Chest Keys

Keys to the vaults can be found in a variety of locations but are not a guaranteed spawn. Players may find a key when opening a chest, dropped by an eliminated opponent, or sitting as ground loot in and around buildings. If you listen closely in-game, you can hear a slight mechanical buzzing that is the sound that keys emit. Listen carefully, as this quiet hint that a key is near may be difficult to pick out, especially if your game sounds are not very loud. A player may carry a maximum of three keys, which is quite a low number considering that we went from only fifteen vaults to possibly eighty unlockable items.

While you could land directly on a location that has a known vault, or a frequent spawn location for holo chests, a risk you may run into is not finding any keys in your location and being unable to open locks. Typically, if you land in a named location, thoroughly search chests and buildings, you will find at least one key. If there is a single-key vault nearby, using your single key to open the vault door means you could risk getting an Epic or Legendary weapon you do not like to use. However, vaults offer more than just a single weapon with one key. You can stock up on ammunition, full shield, and even health or shield items to carry with you in battle. On the other hand, carrying a single key to a grouping of holo chests gives you the opportunity to pick one specific gun or healing item that you may be searching for to complete your ideal loadout.

Conclusion

Whether you love or hate the addition of the holo chests to Fortnite, be aware that players will likely have more access to Epic or Legendary weapons. Keys are now even more of a hot commodity and because players can cherry-pick their favorite weapons from holo chests, vaults may see a slight decrease in ambush opportunities. So get ready to grab those keys, find your way to a holo chest, and upgrade your game!