Fortnite Season 9 features a brand-new map full of interesting changes. Below, we'll recap all the notable details about Neo Tilted, Mega Mall, Pressure Plant and more. There are also a few smaller Easter eggs longtime fans of the game will appreciate. New Named Locations Mega Mall Since being destroyed by the Volcano late last week, Retail Row has been partially transformed into a new hotspot called Mega Mall. True to its name, it's a massive shopping center with about a dozen new stores to visit including Flush Factory Outlet, Junk for Cash Pawn, Scoops Ahoy, Sew What and a fully functioning Arcade.The crown jewel of Mega Mall, though, is the completely overhauled Pizza Pit that's been transformed into a multi-story eatery with lots of tables and plenty of space to move around. Pizza Pit takes up most of Mega Mall, but there are tons of tiny spaces for players to cram themselves into as well. This will undoubtedly be one of the hottest drop spots in Fortnite over the next few weeks. There's a lot going on, so be sure to visit the Mega Mall yourself. Neo Tilted Tilted Towers has enjoyed a major renovation as well, as many key locations have been removed or upgraded. The L apartments, Clock Tower and Garden House are gone, but they've been replaced by a bunch of new buildings including a massive Durr Burger Restaurant, a Peely's Banana Stand and what appears to be some kind of hotel. The Basketball Court is now a multi-story complex too. True to its ancestry, though, the mystery of Neo Tilted seems like it'll evolve throughout the remainder of Fortnite Season 9. There are a few buildings that are still under construction, which means we'll likely see something spring up in those spots in the weeks ahead. We'd also be remiss if we didn't bring up these new statues as well. Are these some kind of homage to the futuristic force that brought Neo Tilted to Fortnite? Pressure Plant Since its eruption, the residents of Fortnite land have found a rather clever use for the Volcano's energy. The mountain's peak has been hollowed out to reveal a new industrial complex that also features a dam to curb the flow of lava. All these wires and pipes suggest the magma is somehow being used to harness power, but the implications of that decision aren't clear. This is a fairly bland landing spot otherwise, but it's still a major map change for Season 9. Other Map Changes Slipstreams: Especially if you've polished off the Week 1 Challenges, you probably know what these are all about. Circular Slipstreams litter the entire map, and they act as large air currents that quickly push players from one place to another. These are large wind tunnels that facilitate fast travel. Sky Platforms: These are a bit like Supply Ships in Apex Legends. Using these floating structures, players have an opportunity to quickly gain a height advantage to redeploy their Gliders. You won't find too many rewards here, but they give you access to Slipstreams if you get stuck on the ground. The Tilted Towers Ruble: If you're looking for the remains of the old Tilted Towers, you can find them at Junk Junction. As seen below, here's the rubble of the iconic Tilted Clock Tower. It's not a huge map change, but it suggests that maybe the old Tilted could return someday. Wind Turbines: Adding to the litany of new Power sources on the map are these new Wind Turbines commonly found around Ziplines. There's not much to do here, but you can stand on top if you get some height. Vault Generator: Heading over to the Vault at Loot Lake, we now see that the Vault's power is being used to power Neo Tilted. Keep an eye on this spot, because things might get weird. New Block: The Block is now a nautical spot called MakaMakes_YT's block. A Wooden Fish: If you head to the Hot Springs by Lazy Lagoon, you'll see this big, wooden fish structure. This will likely be the focus of a Weekly Challenge at some point. Fortnite Season 9 is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and mobile. What are your thoughts on the Fortnite Season 8 map? Are there any changes we missed? Tell us in the comments section!<doc-sep>Some eagle-eyed Fortnite fans have spotted something interesting inside Fortnite following the Season 9 update – a very blatant Stranger Things reference. There have been some significant map changes with the advent of season 9. The new Mega Mall, one of the new locations (having replaced Retail Row), comes complete with a blatant Stranger Things reference. The folks over at Fortnite News have spotted (and captured a picture of) a familiar ice cream shop inside the mall – Scoops Ahoy, the store Steve is working at in the season 3 promotional material. This could just be a cute little thing, but there’s some precedent for reading into these things. John Wick’s house has also been spotted by fans (as per Fortnite News, it’s near Paradise Palms), and as we know a John Wick crossover event is likely coming to Fortnite. Plus, if this wasn’t building up to something official, it would be more likely that Fortnite would contain a homage rather than the exact same store. Stranger Things 3, meanwhile, is due to debut on Netflix on July 4. That’s a while off yet, but the overlap between Stranger Things fans and Fortnite players is bound to be enormous. While we wait for more news on this, check out all the other changes introduced in season 9 of Fortnite.<doc-sep>
Stranger Things appears to be Fortnite’s latest pop culture crossover, as an easter egg in the new Season 9 map is a very direct reference to the show’s upcoming third season. After another Avengers event and hints toward a John Wick event, there’s apparently no limit to Fortnite’s crossover potential, and a proper trip to Hawkins, Indiana wouldn’t be out of line. The new Mega Mall – which replaced Retail Row – features a retro ice cream parlor called ‘Scoops Ahoy,’ as Fortnite News notes. If you’ve seen the Stranger Things 3 trailer (or last year’s Starcourt Mall teaser), that’ll look pretty familiar, since it’s the same shop where the occasional bad boy Steve Harrington works. Decor in the shop is a perfect match for what we’ve seen from those teasers, so this isn’t just a coincidental bit of retail naming. John Wick’s house also hit the map in this update, and datamined files suggest that Fortnite will get a new event featuring the assassin – this store could be a teaser for something similar with Stranger Things. Stranger Things 3 will launch on July 4, which will be during the duration of Fortnite Season 9. You can see some footage of the digital Scoops Ahoy above. Related: Drop into one of the best battle royale games More than one Stranger Things game got cancelled at Telltale, and though the show has gotten some smaller adaptations built with appropriate 80s nostalgia, there’s never been a big-scale Stranger Things game. A Fortnite crossover might be as close as we’re getting for the foreseeable future.