Fortnite buried treasure - everything you need to know about finding hidden loot

So far, Fortnite Season 8 has steered fully into the pirate theme, with a tropical lagoon appearing to the north of the map featuring a huge galleon surrounded by jungle. However, nothing really says 'pirate' quite like Fortnite buried treasure, and thanks to this recent addition you can now dig up hidden booty. To get started, you first need to find a treasure map, then according to the usual buried treasure customs you must follow the directions it provides to find the hidden 'X marks the spot' location. Once you've tracked this down, you can unearth the chest and collect your secret plunder - and if you're working on the Fortnite Battle Pass Challenges for Week 4 then you'll need search for two lots of treasure. We've been hunting around the map in search of Fortnite buried treasure, so we can answer any questions you might have about this new item.

Watch our Fortnite buried treasure guide video below:

Where can you find a Fortnite buried treasure map?

Fortnite buried treasure maps can be found randomly either in chests or as floor loot, so unfortunately in the same way as Fortnite llamas there's no sure-fire method to always find one. There's no word on how many maps are available in each match, but we think there's more than three or maybe even five - we've been able to find several in the same game so they appear to be less rare than the llamas. You can also only hold one Fortnite buried treasure map at a time, so if you try to pick up another you'll automatically drop the one you were holding.

How do you use a Fortnite buried treasure map?

Once you find and pick up a Fortnite buried treasure map, it will take up a slot in your inventory as a standard item. Highlight it to put it in your hands, then trigger it like a weapon or item and a dotted line will appear on the ground near you, pointing in the direction of the hidden loot.

How do you find X marks the spot?

Keep triggering the Fortnite buried treasure map and heading in the direction it indicates to pinpoint the location of the X, which will also glow when you activate the map nearby to help you spot it. Only the player holding the map can see the X on the ground, so it won't appear on any other players' screens and is not even visible to those in your squad. If you drop the map, it disappears.

How do you dig up the Fortnite buried chests?

Once you've reached the location where X marks the spot, you then need to hit the ground at this point multiple times with your pickaxe. It will take at least four hits, so keep swinging until you unearth the Fortnite buried treasure chest.

Do you need the Fortnite buried treasure map to get the loot?

Technically you don't need the Fortnite buried treasure map to get the loot, as other players can also dig up the chest by hitting the X marks the spot area. However, they won't be able to see the X or hear the chest until the first hit, so unless you get incredibly lucky it's very unlikely anyone will find the loot without the guidance of someone carrying the map.

What loot is in the Fortnite buried treasure chest?

Once you've dug up the Fortnite buried treasure chest with your pickaxe, you can then open it like a normal chest to collect the loot inside. The contents is random, but we've generally found three or four legendary weapons inside, plus a guaranteed Chug Jug. That's a pretty decent haul and well worth the time and effort to track it down. Even if the X is outside the circle, which is possible, it could still make sense to run out and grab it as the Chug Jug will get you back up to full when you return.

If buried treasure wasn't enough for you, then check out where you can find a Fortnite gold chest as well.