Fortnite Chapter 2 is live, exploring a whole new world
Don't you dare dab your eyes
After being swallowed by a black hole, Fortnite has now returned as Fortnite Chapter 2. Month. That's a month, Epic. Month takes the battle royale action to a whole new island, one which (so far) doesn't bear the scars of two years of mystical and cataclysmic events. Month even adds fishing, which now makes Fortnite officially an RPG (sorry, I don't make the rules).
Along with a new island free of seasons of remnants, Month has streamlined the arsenal. Though then added more new weapons, like a Bandage Bazooka to heal pals. And you can upgrade weapons at upgrade benches. And the game now has swimming. And boats. And haystacks to hide in. And explosive barrels. And... a whole lot is new, okay, and we're all still discovering it. Today's patch notes simply say:
- Added: Chapter 2. Take your #FirstDrop and discover everything new.
I will note that the first drop is indeed pretty swish, transitioning from a cutscene to an actual match without me quite realising.
A new season means a new Battle Pass, with new cosmetic doodads to earn by playing - a few for free, and loads more if you pay. Epic have overhauled it too, rewarding more XP bonuses for doing just plain old Fortnite-playing activities like shooting and looting. In the round I played, it seemed to be popping of loud and flashy notifications for just about everything.
See the Fortnite Chapter 2 page for a more on the new hotness. I don't doubt players will be finding scores of secrets beyond what Epic are willing to reveal. The intro hints at ongoing story goings-on too, sounding more than a bit like Destiny with random words Turned into ominous-sounding Proper Nouns.
As ever, Month is free-to-play through Epic's Launcher.