Fortnite Chapter 4 news: Map changes & new season explained

With a new map to discover, new ways to travel, and a brand-new graphics engine, chapter 4 has rung in the changes in a big way.

If you're looking to learn all the Fortnite chapter 4 news, you've come to the right place. Read on to discover everything there is to know about the new season including when it started, what its new map is, and new skins, such as Hulk, Deku, and Geralt from The Witcher.

Fortnite chapter 4 news: What's new this season?

Fortnite chapter 4 season 1 is live right now and you'll need to download the game's latest update in order to play it. The new chapter is a big one. It brings a new island to explore, new character skins including the above-mentioned Hulk and Geralt as well as Doom Slayer, and more.

Thanks to the official Fortnite website, we know that in chapter 4 season 1, you can "get around in new ways – ride a dirt bike, roll in a snowball, launch yourself with the Shockwave Hammer, and hurdle over obstacles". Also new to the game thanks to the new chapter is Reality Augments that you can power yourself up with to help "claim territory for your squad, leaving behind Banners to declare what’s yours".

The Fortnite chapter 4 season 1 launch trailer is well worth a watch below if you want to know more about the story and changes and to catch a glimpse at new skins including the Doom Slayer.

The Hulk will be joining Geralt, Deku, and Doom Slayer and you will find the latest Marvel hero skin in the Item Shop soon.

It's not just a new map and character skins to discover in Fortnite chapter 4 season 1. There is a whole host of new weapons, items, and gameplay additions to try out too. Reality Augments is the major new gameplay change, with each player being given two random upgrades at intervals during matches.

The new Reality Augments are as follows:

• Light Fingers: Reload Light Ammo weapons faster
• Mechanical Archer: You are given a Mechanical Explosive Bow and Mechanical Shockwave Bow
• Aerialist: Unlimited Glider redeploy for the rest of the match
• Supercharged: Increased health for vehicles and vehicles don't consume fuel
• Soaring Sprints: Jump way higher when sprinting

Another new gameplay addition is the Hurdle. Sprint towards obstacles and you'll hurdle over them for slicker world movement.

As stated above, there are plenty of new weapons in Fortnite chapter 4 season 1, including the Shockwave Hammer. Think of this like the Gravity Hammer in Halo, but more powerful. This melee weapon can be used to launch you and teammates forwards and deal damage to enemies as well as knock them back.

Capture Points are another new feature. In POIs you will find a Capture Point. If you and your team stay long enough in a Capture Point, you will claim it, laying down your banner, and unlock loot. What's more, claim a Capture Point and all chests and opponents in the POI will be marked.

On top of everything above, of course, there is a brand-new Battle Pass. This is where you'll find the new Doom Slayer and Geralt of Rivia skins.

What about the Fortnite chapter 4 map?

There is a brand-new Fortnite map for chapter 4 in its first season. The new island should look stunning thanks to the game's Unreal Engine 5.1 upgrade on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Thanks to the new map, too, there are plenty of new POIs to discover.

New Points of Interest include The Citadel, Anvil Square, Brutal Bastion, Frenzy Fields, and more. It's all new and looks very shiny to boot.

Placed in new POI Shattered Slabs, you'll find Kinetic Ore. Use these with physics sorcery and you can attack your opponents. There is plenty to discover with the latest season in Fortnite and now it's time to head online and try it all out.

When did Fortnite chapter 4 start? Season 1 is here

Fortnite chapter 4 season 1 started on Sunday 4th December 2022. The new season went live after a period of downtime.

There was an issue with the new season unable to update on Android but this issue has since been fixed and now everyone should be able to play the shiny new chapter across all devices.

Was there a live event for Fortnite chapter 4?

Yes! The live event for the Fortnite Chapter 3 finale took place on Saturday 3rd December at 9pm UK time.

Epic Games promised "an otherworldly and unexpected social event", which certainly sounded like something that was worth logging on for. Now, that's all happened and the new chapter is yours to explore!

Discover more with Fortnite creative map codes: Fortnite horror maps | Fortnite action-adventure maps | Fortnite hide and seek maps | Fortnite Zone Wars maps | Fortnite fighting maps | Fortnite parkour maps | best Fortnite creative maps | Fortnite Squid Game map codes | Fortnite Monopoly code | Fortnite I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here code | Fortnite Doctor Who map code

Hungry for more gaming? Visit our video game release schedule, or swing by our hubs for more Gaming and Technology news.

Looking for something to watch? Check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide.

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.