Fortnite Season 5 details: Major map changes, new skins, themes and more

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We now know everything about Fortnite season 5, from moving storm circles and new challenges, to ATKS and more

Fortnite season 5 is finally here, and it comes with the theme of "Worlds Collide". What that actually means is that the Fortnite map has changed quite drastically, adding new biomes, locations including Paradise Palms and Lazy Links, and even brand new vehicles to traverse it all in, known as Fortnite ATKs. But just in case you haven't jumped in yet, let's break down everything you need to know about Fortnite season 5:

When is Fortnite Season 5 starting? 

A jetpack joyrider in Fortnite Battle Royale.

Hold onto your llamas folks, because Fortnite season 5 is already here. It started on Thursday, July 12 and will run for 10 weeks, with the last week of challenges starting on September 13. Fortnite season 6 is expected to start exactly a week after that.  

How much does the Fortnite Season 5 Battle Pass cost? 

The Fortnite Season 5 battle pass costs the same as it has done every other bundle - 950 V-Bucks. In real money you'll have to buy the smallest V-Bucks bundle, which is $9.99 / £7.99. 

Here's the Fortnite season 5 opening cinematic

Fortnite season 5 has a new All Terrain Kart, or ATK

Fortnite season 5 vehicle all terrain kart atk

Fortnite season 5 is finally giving us proper vehicles in the shape of the All Terrain Kart, or ATK. It's a four man, full squad, vehicle with a drift activated speed boost and a bounce pad on the roof. The rear passengers can even work together by all leaning at the same time when jumping to get a higher boost. 

The Fortnite Season 5 map includes new biomes and locations 

The Fortnite season 5 map has been updated to includes a new desert biome. That had previously looked likely after an in-game leak briefly made the entire map a desert although that was pulled super fast. 

There are also new locations including Paradise Palms and Lazy Links and new unnamed POIs have also appeared across the island. 

Fortnite season 5 skins include vikings, soldiers and more 

The first Fortnite season 5 skins show off more than a few vikings, a very modern looking soldier and that Japanese Kitsune mask from the first official Fortnite season 5 teaser. 

So far, the Kitsune mask skin as appeared as part of the new Fortnite Drift challenges, which are all XP based, while the blue muttonchops fellow is the Fortnite Tier 100 Challenge, known as the Ragnarok skin, which is upgradable. All the rest of the skins are part of the Fortnite season 5 battle pass and are (going from left to right):

  • Sledgehammer (Battle Pass Level 71)
  • Redline (Battle Pass Level 23)
  • Huntress (Battle Pass Level 1)
  • Rook (Battle Pass Level 87)
  • Sun Strider (Battle Pass Level 47)

Fortnite season 5 storm circles now move in the later stages

This is a really interesting change: the centre of the final storm circles (7, 8, and 9) can now shift in random directions, instead of just shrinking. So as the storm closes in, it can move and shrink the new location. That's going to have a big impact on the end game, making building more of a risk. 

Fortnite season 5 rifts promise a 'wild ride'

Fortnite rifts are still appearing on the map, and rather than sucking elements of the map in and dropping them somewhere else entirely, they now eat you. Well, you can walk into them and use them to drop you back in the air, letting you soar slowly back down to earth, perhaps somewhere else entirely to get out of that firefight you were just in. They're handy little tricks to get you somewhere else fast, and very useful to get you out of a storm-related pickle.

We'll keep this article updated with all the latest information about Fortnite season 5 as it happens, but let us know what your favrouite thing about season 5 is so far in the comments below.

Sam Loveridge
Sam Loveridge
Brand Director, GamesRadar+

Sam Loveridge is the Brand Director and former Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar. She joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for a decade, and for GamesRadar, she's in charge of the site's overall direction, managing the team, and making sure it's the best it can be. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. She plays across all platforms, and specializes in titles like Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, The Sims, and more. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! In her spare time, Sam likes to live like Stardew Valley by cooking and baking, growing vegetables, and enjoying life in the countryside.