Rest in peace, season 4: the latest Fortnite update has officially arrived and it's completely revamped most of the map, along with introducing the brand new All Terrain Kart and changing the way the Battle Pass works. Oh, plus there are now Legendary Progressive Skins. And a new desert biome. Along with two brand new locations. Basically this Fortnite update has majorly mixed things up, so let's get on with it: here's the 13 biggest changes to look out for in Fortnite season 5.
1. Meet the new All Terrain Kart
It’s hard to say which of the changes in the latest Fortnite update we’re most excited about but this one will certainly change the game in a big way. The Fortnite All Terrain Kart can be found at Paradise Palms, Lazy Links, and the racing track and you can hop in it by holding square. You can drive it around in Solo but it has room for your whole squad who can all ride with you and, crucially, shoot anyone who gets in your way. You can even run people over! The roof acts as a bounce pad allowing you to jump high into the air, plus you can power slide by holding down L1 which will give you a speed boost and - even better - if you have people riding in the back they can hold back on the thumbstick on console (S on keyboards ) and release at the same time to leap over obstacles. Prepare yourself: this will be a game changer.
2. A new Desert biome has appeared
Now we’ve got the desert biome to roam around, an entirely new biome that brings with it two new locations: Paradise Palms and Lazy Links. Throughout the biome you'll find multiple towering hills that resemble the grand canyon, along with gas stations and the odd shack. Oh, plus three giant (fake) dinosaurs. No, I'm not kidding. Keep your eyes peeled too, as it's not just the desert that's been revamped: a couple of other unnamed Points of Interest have appeared all over the Island.
3. Paradise Palms is a new residential area
The Fortnite update introduces us to Paradise Palms, a snooty residence area complete with uber-modern houses, swimming pools, gas stations, the skyscraper Hotel 23, and - most importantly - an ATK hiding away in the garages. The wagon we glimpsed in Fortnite season 4 can even be found near the entrance, along with camper vans strewn all around the streets, so there’s tons of loot to unearth. Careful, though - with all that loot just waiting to be grabbed, it’s already a hectic place as players scramble to explore and fight to the death on its dusty streets.
4. Goodbye Anarchy Acres, hello Lazy Links
You’ll find Lazy links at the top of the map where Anarchy Acres used to be. Goodbye farmland, we’ll always remember you. In its place stands a country club complete with tennis courts, a pool and a FULL GOLF COURSE. That you can actually play golf on (if you have a ball with you)! You’ll also find a number of the new All Terrain Karts here dotted around the place to make it easier for guests to get around. Loot wise the Country Club building has a good number of chests in it and the various outbuildings around the golf course are also good sources for improving your weapon load or just finding another kart to ride in.
5. Try out ATKs at the Race Track
At the race track you can - surprise surprise - race ATKs on and perfect that power slide. There’s a garage right outside which always has at least one ATK in it, so make sure to head for there if you want to try your hand at vehicular destruction.
6. New Points of Interest are everywhere
New points of interest are scattered all around the map thanks to the latest Fortnite update, starting with three massive colourful dinosaurs near Paradise Palms in the new Desert biome. A red triceratops, purple brontosaurus, and green t-rex loom over anyone nearby, and make for rather stunning scenery if you’re not too busy trying to avoid getting shotgunned in the face. There’s also a giant Viking town and ship on the mountain where the evil liar used to be.
7. The Storm has changed too
Gone are the days of the straightforward shrinking Storm: now during the 7th, 8th, and 9th time the storm closes in during a match it’ll not only shrink, but move in random directions to a completely new location. So you’ll have to stay on your toes when the end of the game nears, as there’s no certainty that you’ll find yourself in the safe zone - and more importantly, building is sure to be much more of a risk.
8. Celebrate with a new Victory Royale end screen
The Victory Royale end screen has been the same for a very, very long time, and many members of the community have created their own concepts which were damn awesome. But Epic Games has decided to update the end screen with a super slow mo effect that triggers when you or your squad member gets the last kill. Granted, it’s pretty cool and makes for a nice new feature, but we would of liked something with a bit more bang! Perhaps fireworks, or a killcam replay right after the slow mo. But hey, it’s a step in the right direction. Oh, and you get a colourful new beach umbrella as a glider as your reward!
9. A revamped Battle Pass emerges
The battle pass has also had an overhaul this season. Previously you could only access the challenges if you bought a battle pass, but now even if you don’t have one you’ll be granted access to three of the seven weekly challenges. The additional four unlock with the purchase of the pass and you’ll need to complete a total of four to get the XP reward. See what they’ve done there? Tempt you in with free challenge...but lock the reward behind the battle pass. Sneaky. Still, it’s totally worth getting one because not only will you get a truck load more skins, gliders, and emotes while leveling up, you’ll also get access to the Drift and Road Trip challenges which grant new skins and costume alterations on completion.
10. Rifts have completely changed the map (again)
Test your courage and step through a Rift. Prepare yourself: you’re in for a wild ride. Scattered around the map are small rifts hovering in mid-air: jump into one of them and it’ll teleport you somewhere else, usually a couple of stories above of the rift you just entered into. You’ll automatically bring out your glider, letting you fly away into the distance, making rifts a great way to either escape someone who’s hot on your heels or just get from point A to point B much, much speedier, especially handy if the storm is right behind you.
11. New Legendary Progressive skin
With a new season comes new skins, and this new Fortnite update has switched things up even more than usual with the new Legendary Progressive skins. The Ragnarok and Drift Skins both have 6 different versions, with each tier unlocking at 35,000 XP 75,000XP, 125,000XP, 250,000XP, and, finally, 500,000 XP.
12. New skins, emotes, and dances
To make things easy for you - and to save this paragraph from being one long list of names and descriptions - just glance at the video above to see all the emotes, skins, and dances in action.
13. And that’s not all
Finally, there’s some more quick updates to be aware of:
- Starting in Season 5, progressive challenges will no longer be restricted to a single season. So even if you don’t manage to unlock the Ragnarok skin in season 5 you’ll able to continue earning XP for it in season 6.
- Supply Llamas now fall to the ground if the object they were standing on is destroyed.
- You can now earn toys to play with via the Battlepass. A basketball will unlock at level 11 and a golf ball will be yours once you reach level 27. There’s a beach ball at level 43, then a fancy golf ball and fancy beach ball at level 59 and 75 respectively . Get to level 91 and you’ll be rewarded with a fancy basketball as well.
