Where to find Fortnite IO Guards in Chapter 3 and eliminate IO forces

Fortnite IO Guards locations — (Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite IO Guards are making their presence known on the island now, having established a number of bases at key sites. Initially it looked like The Seven had driven them away, as when the landscape first flipped they were nowhere to be seen, but over time the Fortnite IO forces have started rebuilding and developing what appears to be a significant digging operation. For certain Fortnite quests you need to eliminate IO forces by taking out guards, so tracking down their current locations is required information to progress these tasks in Fortnite.

These Fortnite IO Guards aren't particularly clever or mobile, but don't underestimate them as they'll easily gun you down if you get caught unprepared, especially if they manage to gang up on you. Taking them out will cause them to drop some loot, but there are also special crates in their patrol areas that are worth plundering for rarer weapons and items. If you're ready to eliminate IO forces, then these are the Fortnite IO Guards locations to visit.

Note that as of Season 3, you will no longer find any IO Guards around the island, but their abandoned Fortnite IO Outposts can still be visited.

Fortnite IO Guards locations in Chapter 3

Fortnite IO Guards locations map — (Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite IO Guards can be found within the Covert Canyon POI underground base and the various Fortnite Mole Team Drill Sites that have sprung up around the island, which we've marked on the map above. There are currently five of those sites, which you'll find in the following locations:

Mole Team: Omega - east of Logjam Lumberyard
Mole Team: Ryder - southeast of Greasy Grove
Mole Team: Dash - north of The Daily Bugle
Mole Team: Epsilon - west of Sanctuary
Mole Team: Raven - southwest of The Joneses

In the previous chapter, the first letters of the base codenames spelled out O-R-D-E-R, confirming the Imagined Order's control over them, and the same thing has happened again here with the Fortnite IO Guards locations. When you arrive at any of them, you'll need to keep an eye out for these ominous, shadowy soldiers, although their loud radio chatter often gives them away too:

It's always going to be a risk if you take the guards on in a fight, as they patrol in groups and communicate with each other to locate threats, so as soon as one knows you're there – say, because you're shooting them – then the rest will too. If you're not careful you'll start taking damage from all directions and, while a one-on-one fight isn't too much of a problem, several Fortnite IO Guards piling in can soon leave you heavily damaged and at a disadvantage going forward. If you don't need to engage them for the particular quest you're working on, you can stay hidden and do what you need without being detected.