Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 is finally here, and as you'd expect there are plenty of big changes being introduced for the fresh chapter. There's a whole new map to learn, some updated mechanics to get to grips with, and even a new type of Victory Royale to earn if you manage to be the last Fortnite player standing. With so much new stuff going on it can feel a bit overwhelming when you get out of the sea to start the next era of the game, so to help you on your way we have a round up of the biggest changes in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1.
Fortnite Chapter 3 has a completely new map
The island has flipped over to reveal a totally new Fortnite map on the other side, with three distinct biomes to explore. The whole western half of the island is covered in snow, and contains some familiar locations from the past such as Greasy Grove and Shifty Shafts – we've also been promised that when some of this snow melts later to uncover the grassland beneath, a hidden secret will be revealed. There's also the tropical biome to the east, which contains The Seven's home of Sanctuary, and the desert biome on the south coast featuring an extensive racetrack and a return of Mancake's Butter Barn landmark.
A new arsenal of weapons and consumables are available in Fortnite Chapter 3
Fortnite new weapons available for the start of the season include the Range Assault Rifle, MK-Seven Assault Rifle, Striker Pump Shotgun, Auto Shotgun, Sidearm Pistol, Stinger SMG, and Hunter Bolt-Action Sniper, though most other weapons are now safely stored back in the vault. There are also some fresh items, such as the Med-Mist spray that can be used on yourself or a teammate to heal, and the amount of spray you apply determines how much health you (or they) recover. Guzzle Juice can also be consumed to return your HP to 100 over time, but if you take any damage from an opponent then the healing will stop, so avoid your enemies while it's in effect.
You can now go camping in Fortnite Chapter 3
One of the big new changes for Fortnite Chapter 3 is the addition of Tents, which you can use to set up camp then pop inside to heal up by resting. You can also stash up to three items in a tent, which can then be reclaimed in a future match by constructing a new Tent or taking over a deserted one, and although the first two slots are free you'll need to rent the third one using Bars. Teammates can interact with your Tent to buy their own by spending Bars, and you can also pack up your Tent and move it to a new location at any time.
Victory Crowns can be worn to unlock Crowned Victory Royales
If you place highly enough during a match – top player in Solos, or top team in Duos, Trios, or Squads – then you'll start the next match wearing the Fortnite Victory Crown, however this will shine and stand you out to other players who will take your crown if they eliminate you. Carrying the crown will net you bonus XP, and if you win while in possession of one you'll earn a coveted Crowned Victory Royale, along with a new emote that reveals how many Crowned Victory Royales you've collected in the season.
There are new ways to get around in Fortnite Chapter 3
Sliding is a new mechanic to help you get around, and holding the crouch button while sprinting is how to slide in Fortnite. You can still shoot or build while sliding, and it's a particularly efficient method of getting downhill. From December 11 you'll also be able to get your hands on the Fortnite Spider-Man Web Shooters, which can be used to swing between buildings like Spidey himself. While down but not out in team modes you can now crawl faster, pick up items, open chests and doors, and manage your inventory, to help you escape to safety more quickly and reach your teammates for a revive. Quadcrashers have returned from the vault, to provide an off-road travel option that's also great for barreling through opponents' structures thanks to the ram on the front.
There are new types of Quests to beat in Fortnite Chapter 3
You can now find Daily, Season, and Milestone Quests in the menu, along with questlines for certain characters you unlock through the Battle Pass. As well as earning XP for each one you complete, you'll also receive additional XP for bonus goals by ticking off a certain number of quests. If you head to the Sanctuary named location and communicate through The Device, you'll receive further quests from The Scientist that will extend beyond the current season to unlock the secrets of The Seven.
Fortnite Chapter 3 has a bigger emphasis on teamwork
Working together with your squad can now make things go faster, such as reviving a downed teammate or activating a Reboot Van. There are also Fortnite vaults hidden around the island that require more than one player to unlock, so you'll need to visit them with your team, try to form an alliance with an opponent, or hire one of the Fortnite characters to get inside and see what's buried within.
The Fortnite Chapter 3 Battle Pass has a new cast of characters
Included in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 Battle Pass are a number of new skins to unlock and add fresh characters to your roster, which include:
- Immediate unlock: The "Lotus Walker" Shanta
- Page 1: The wanderer Ronin
- Page 3: The no-nonsense Lt. John Llama
- Page 5: The Island-raised and Island-defending Haven
- Page 6: The flavor-synthetic but attitude-authentic Gumbo
- Page 8: The optimistic outlaw Harlowe
- Page 9: The superhero Spider-Man
Later on in the Season, around February 3, 2022, the leader of The Seven – The Foundation, played by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson – will unlock with a set of quests to earn his items. There will also be new Spider-Men, along with friends and foes, appearing in the Item Shop for purchase during the season.
Weather effects are arriving later in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1
They haven't been implemented yet, but we're told that later in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 the Storm circle will be accompanied by other effects. These will include lightning strikes that may damage players or the scenery, and tornadoes that can suck up and spin around players before spitting them out.
There may be new dinosaurs added in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1
Looking at other things to come later in the season, a new addition to the wildlife living on the island has been suggested. Details are scarce, but it is rumored to be quite large, and it is thought that the Raptors haven't returned to the new island as they've been scared off by this beast. One of the promotional images for Fortnite Chapter 3 shows what appears to be a giant dinosaur, so perhaps we'll be hunting that down in the future.
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