The new Fortnite season officially started today, after multiple delays leading up to it. Fortunately, the wait has paid off, because Epic has added plenty of new things to see and do in Season 3. A new Battle Pass, gameplay changes, and more await.
The first thing players will notice is that the world is now largely flooded. These changes were teased and leaked multiple times, so they shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Still, the map features multiple floating locations to replace those now sitting at the bottom of the sea. This is a direct result of The Device live event that transformed the storm into a flood last week.
Players were still able to drop on the normal version of the island for a few days after The Device. Giant walls of water rolled in instead of the storm, though. Now the final circle has closed, and the old map is officially no more.
Flooded forts and plenty of mobility
Chapter 2 Season 3 adds a lot more to the game than just the flood. The in-game season intro trailer shows off various new ways to get around the map, and there are a lot of them.
Sharks can now be “caught” to propel players on water-skis for fast navigation of the flooded areas. You’ll also find whirlpools that can boost players into the air, much like the geysers from previous seasons. Back on land, there are a bunch of new vehicles to drive, including semi-trucks. This season is clearly bringing back intense, high-mobility gameplay.
The Battle Pass itself features multiple aquatic-themed cosmetics, emotes, and challenges. This includes none other than Aquaman himself, which you can unlock by completing his specific character challenges. The Battle Pass has some interesting new options, too, such as the customizable gliders. Epic boasts that these gliders will allow players to have one-of-a-kind appearances by the end of the season.
Various weapon changes have also been introduced, in keeping with Fortnite‘s new season customs. Epic has vaulted several weapons while bringing back some fan favorites. The high-precision Hunting Rifle will surely get people excited, while other guns like the compact SMG may not.
Season 3 gets a new Battle Pass crew.
Season 3 changes
Epic doesn’t release official patch notes anymore, so we will have to discover the changes for ourselves. Here is a list of what we know so far:
New items:
- Charge shotgun
- Jules’ Mythic drum gun
- Kit’s Mythic shockwave launcher
- Jules’ Mythic glider gun
- Ocean’s Mythic burst assault rifle
- Jules’ Mythic charge shotgun
Unvaulted items:
- Hunting rifle
- Bolt-action sniper rifle
- Chug jugs (Mythic variant refills over time)
- Stink bombs
- Compact SMG
- Grappler
Vaulted items:
- Season 2 mythic items
- Pump shotgun
Other changes:
- Lower headshot damage is being reported, excluding sniper rifles.
- Some chests have arms and legs. Don’t worry, they won’t run away… yet.
- Squads of armed bot marauders can be found around the map. Some drop in on players randomly.
Take a look at the new Charge Shotgun.
When we’ve learned more about the Season 3 changes, we will post a detailed update for you to study. Until then, splash down into the new map and find out for yourself what’s new in Fortnite.
Fortnite is free-to-play on the Epic Games Store. The new Battle Pass for Chapter 2 Season 3 is still the standard price of 950 V-Bucks ($9.50).
