Advertisement

How To

Fortnite Season 8: First Look

Alex LaFreniere

Alex LaFreniere

  • Updated:

Avast, mateys! Fortnite Season 8 has finally dropped anchor and revealed its piratical new theme. Season 8 has brought about some massive changes to all aspects of the game, from huge new areas to new weapons and more. Read on to discover everything that this new season has in store.

Fortnite Season 8: First Look

New Story

fortnite season 8 first look story
Image courtesy Epic Games

The leadup to Season 8 was loaded with speculation and rumors, brought on by the mysterious Prisoner and his history with the Ice King. As expected, the tremors brought about with the Prisoner’s escape from the Ice King’s palace led to a massive volcanic eruption in the northeast corner of the island. The prisoner’s identity as the Fire King has finally been revealed, and his rivalry with the Ice King is still going strong. This all coincides with a mysterious treasure hunt.

Fortnite Season 8: First Look
Fortnite: Battle Royale Download Fortnite: Battle Royale ►
10

The opening cinematic for Season 8 reveals some new players entering the fray: a crew of pirates hunting for gold and glory, as well as a faction of martial artists led by the Fire King and based in the volcano.

The Ice King, the Fire King, and the Pirate Captain have all come into possession of a mysterious map of some kind, pinpointing the location of a buried treasure somewhere on the Battle Royale island. The true nature of this treasure has yet to be revealed, but whatever it is, its valuable enough to attract the attention of these three powerful factions. Now it’s a race between each group to find the treasure and unlock the secrets buried within.

It remains to be seen what role exactly this treasure is going to be playing in the season itself. First introduced in Season 8, the Prisoner skin came with different styles that could only be unlocked by keys scattered across the map. Perhaps a similar treasure hunt is in order, with clues slowly being revealed as the season progresses.

New Map

fortnite season 8 first look volcano
Image courtesy Epic Games

As expected, Season 8 brought some huge changes to the Fortnite map. As many had speculated, the earthquakes that began towards the end of Season 7 finally culminated in a massive volcanic eruption. As a result, the entire northeastern corner of the map has been totally reshaped.

Lazy Links, Wailing Woods, and Tomato Temple are all gone, replaced by the volcano and surrounding areas. These areas include a pirate cove and a complex of Aztec-style temples tucked into a thick jungle area. The volcano itself is the centerpiece, and can be entered to explore the magma-filled tunnels and temple within.

As a result of the volcanic eruption, new volcanic vents have opened all over the map. These vents behave just like jump pads: stepping on one will fling the player skyward, which is handy for quickly traversing the map or making a quick escape.

Players will also be able to find cannons in different areas of the map. A cross between a weapon and a vehicle, these hefty pieces of artillery can be moved and repositioned, and can inflict heavy damage against structures and even other players in a pinch.

Finally, pirate camps have sprung up across the island, serving as outposts for the pirate crew. Usually, they can be found built on top of existing structures, and are filled with plenty of booty. Keep an eye out for the flying pirate flag to track them down.

New Interface

fortnite season 8 first look challenge interface
Image courtesy Epic Games

In addition to changes to the game world, players will also notice some major overhauls have been made to the Fortnite interface as well. The Challenge menu has undergone a total overhaul, as seen in the screen above. Weekly and Daily challenges have been organized into more accessible categories, with submenus for character-specific challenges, event-related challenges, and Season-specific challenges. Players will no longer have to take the extra step to “claim” Daily challenges; once completed, any Battle Stars will automatically be obtained.

In addition, changes have been made to the in-game HUD; with the addition of new map icons and player icons for Squad modes. Players with sharp ears will also notice that some sound effects have also received an upgrade, with most sounds upgraded to crisper, sharper versions. In particular, most weapon sound effects have received an upgrade. They’re small changes, but add up to a much more accessible player experience. The game feels like it’s received a shiny new coat of paint.

It’s time to dust off your eyepatches and cutlasses. There’s treasure to find and enemies to eliminate, and if the Season premiere is any indication, big things are in store for Fortnite Season 8. Be sure to check back with Softonic for weekly challenge guides and more Fortnite related updates as the season progresses.

Alex LaFreniere

Alex LaFreniere

Alex's first experience with video games came at the tender young age of 12, when his parents gave him and his brothers a PlayStation 2 for Christmas. They’ve probably been regretting that mistake ever since, because as soon he finished his first lap in Gran Turismo 3, Alex was hooked for life. In addition to writing for Softonic, Alex has turned that love of games into a voice acting career, and has voiced everything from grizzled old soldiers to vampire lords. When he's not gaming or getting behind the microphone, Alex can probably be found wandering the woods around Boston or putting together some new culinary delight in his kitchen.

Latest from Alex LaFreniere

Editorial Guidelines