It’s that time again. Parents across the world are doling out $15 to Epic Games after the developer released Season 9, the latest update for its hit game Fortnite that’s particularly popular among kids and young adults. Fortnite is estimated to have more than 250 million players, and it has proven to be a major money-spinner for Epic thanks to sales of seasonal Battle Passes, skins and virtual items for avatars. That’s very much the focus for Season 9, which dropped today and is really about the cosmetics, with the latest Battle Pass unlocking more than 100 rewards, including a range of new skins and characters. Season 9 is an upgrade that’ll keep existing gamers locked into Fortnite through evolution — there are no radical changes to excite new or less-active players. In terms of gameplay, Fortnite has added at least three new locations. Neo Tilted replaces Tilted Towers, which was destroyed by a volcano eruption last week, then there’s Mega Mall, which is an upgrade on Retail Row, and Pressure Plant which is where the volcano used to be. Epic has added “Slipstreams,” which are turbines that power a wind-based transport system for getting across the map quickly, and potentially adding an interesting new combat angle. There’s also a new “Fortbytes,” which is essentially a hidden item challenge. Gamers who bought a Battle Pass can collect a series of 100 collectible computer chips that are scattered across the map. There are an initial 18 released, with a new arrival each day — those who collect them all can unlock rewards and “secrets.” There’s just one new gun on offer, the combat shotgun, which doesn’t seem particularly impressive, while grenades have returned. A large number of weapons have been removed — or “vaulted” in Epic parlance — and they include clingers, pump shotgun, poison dart trap, scoped revolver, suppressed assault rifle, thermal assault rifle and balloons. That’s about the sum of the new update, although Fortnite does now include three new limited time games: three-person squad “trios,” a “solid gold” mode that uses legendary weapons and “one shot,” a sniper-only battle set in a low-gravity environment. Note: The original version of this article has been updated to correct that Pressure Plant is another new location added in Season 9<doc-sep>Start transforming your game’s economy and increase your bottom line. Get the free guide now. Elevate your enterprise data technology and strategy at Transform 2021. Fortnite’s Tilted Towers didn’t stay dead for long. In the new season that starts today, developer Epic Games revealed that the beloved loot-filled location is back as Neo Tilted, bringing the rest of the game into a future featuring shiny new buildings and mechanized pets. Fortnite is the biggest game in the world. The free-to-play multiplayer shooter has earned more than $1 billion, leading to huge investments in Epic and allowing the company to put that extra money into other efforts — such as the Epic Games Store (and its 88/12 revenue split with developers) and the recent acquisition of Rocket League studio Psyonix. In addtion to having a host of new emotes, weapon and character skins, and other cosmetic items (unlockable via the game’s Battle Pass progression system), Season 9 also introduces a collectible called Fortbytes. Players must decipher cryptic clues to find these microchip-like items scattered throughout the island. Gathering Fortbytes will unlock even more rewards and secrets. Seasonal content updates in Fortnite is Epic’s way of making the game feel fresh and interesting for its console, PC, and mobile players. Fans also look forward to a new season (which lasts for around two months) because the updates usually change the map in some way. Season 8 introduced an active volcano, and the eruption of that volcano caused the futuristic world players now see in Season 9. These world-changing events create a loose but ongoing narrative that fans (and the streamers and video creators that cover the game) love to obsess over. However, creating these frequent updates have come at a personal cost for some members of the dev team. According to a lengthy report from Polygon, Fortnite’s success led to a “toxic, stressful environment” at Epic. You can read the full patch notes for Season 9 here. The state of battle royale According to two different case studies, Fortnite is still the most-viewed game online, even with the explosive rise of battle royale competitors Apex Legends and Call of Duty Blackout. It’s the kind of resiliency made possible by a player base that is 250 million strong. And Epic always tries to make sure that Fortnite stays in the popular consciousness, whether it’s through esports competitions, movie tie-ins, or seasonal updates. Coincidentally, Season 9’s sci-fi theme brings Fortnite a little closer to its two closest rivals: both Apex Legends and Call of Duty Blackout are sci-fi shooters. But it’s not a huge overlap, as the new update still retains Fortnite’s playful cartoon-like aesthetic.<doc-sep>
Fortnite's Season 9 brings with it a new Battle Pass, map changes, and more challenges to tackle. Of course, you can't go about it all in your same old skins and styles. A new season calls for an upgrade, and Fortnite Season 9 brings with it brand-new skins for you to unlock. Of course, it's not going to be easy, as Season 9 will have you work hard to earn its new skins and styles. If you're not familiar with the process for unlocking new skins, here's a quick overview: Every player is given a Battle Pass when they start playing Fortnite and, as part of that, there are tiers and cosmetic unlocks tied to those tiers. By completing challenges you unlock Battle Stars, which level up the pass and push it through the tiers, unlocking the skins and other goodies as you go along. However, there's also a premium Battle Pass that can only be acquired by spending 950 V-Bucks on it. This premium pass not only has exclusive cosmetic unlocks, but also exclusive weekly challenges, which means those that have one can unlock more and unlock it faster. If you decide to purchase one, you'll get the Sentinel and Rox skins immediately, and they're pretty cool. Rox, in particular, is a really nice outfit as it evolves over time. However, for the remaining skins, you'll have to put in the work and earn them. You can take a look at all the new skins, and also the styles that alter them slightly, in the gallery below. Gallery Fortnite Season 9 takes players to the future, specifically in Tilted Towers and Retail Row, which were destroyed during the climax of Season 8 and then remade for Season 9 as Neo Tilted and Mega Mall. But that's not all that's new in the season, as developer Epic Games has also introduced an interesting new transportation system: Slipstreams. You can read about that, as well as all the other various changes, tweaks, and new additions included in the update by reading the Fortnite Season 9 patch notes.