Fortnite Chapter 2 news, updates, maps, trailers, and download sizes

Fortnite Chapter Two is a phrase you'll be hearing a lot this week – here's why.

What a time to be a Fortnite player. The immensely popular battle royale game has made quite the storm this week, after plunging the Fortnite island on all of its servers into a massive black hole and leaving players without warning, assurance, or confirmation of what's to come next. Apparently, it was the end.

It wasn't the end, of course – Fortnite is a huge money spinner for Epic, and what enabled the developer to build its Epic Games Store. We expected a new Season at some point after the events of the current Season 10, after all – but Fortnite Chapter Two is a lot bigger than the usual update, with a visual overhaul and even a brand new map to explore.

Here's everything we know about Fortnite Chapter Two – pieced together from 48 hours of leaks, speculation, staring into the abyss, and our first time playing the updated game.

UPDATE: Fortnite Chapter Two is now live and available to play! You can also view the first cinematic trailer for Fortnite Chapter Two below.

What is Fortnite?

Fortnite is one of the biggest video games of all time – and that's not hyperbole. Since its launch in 2017, millions of players have tuned in to the free-to-play battle royale game, which sees 100 players duke it out to be the last one standing.

All battle royale games take place on the same map – known as 'the island' – though Epic Games tends to tweak its exact features and geography for each new Season, or for timed events and alternative game modes.

With a fun, cartoon style, blend of shooting and building mechanics, and accessible gameplay – with a fiercely competitive goal for each 1 v 100 game – it's not hard to see why Fortnite has been so popular and permeated pop culture so broadly, with hordes of young'uns, teenagers, and adults all chipping in to give the game a try. Yes, even Drake plays it.

There's a campaign mode called Save The World, though it's not usually what people refer to when they talk about Fortnite.

(Image credit: Epic Games)

What is Fortnite Chapter Two?

Fortnite is has had a reboot of sorts. Players were given a rude awakening to this on Sunday 13 October, when a massive black hole destroyed the island map and shut down all of the battle royale servers. If it wasn't clear, this was intentional.

It comes at the end of a long-winded sci-fi plot that will likely only make sense to players who have been with the game for a significant amount of time – but what's important is that the game is gone, and will be coming back at some point. Fortnite Chapter Two has replaced the expected Season 11 update players had been waiting for, marking more of a refresh than an iterative update.

This marks Chapter 2 – Season 1 for the battle royale game, meaning there'll still be regular updates and seasons diversifying the content of the map and the kind of skins and items available.

It's a bit disappointing that Epic hasn't communicated more with its players, though – from what we've seen on Twitter, many have been staying up all night for the past two days waiting for the black hole on the Fortnite website to change. It's all well and good for the game's hype, but couldn't you let your gamers sleep, Epic?

The game is now available to download, though you'll need to download the game afresh. In the meantime you can watch a group of streamers testing out the game's new island map and Battle Pass on DrLupo's Twitch channel.

When will Fortnite Chapter Two start?

You can download and play Fortnite Chapter Two now! The download file appears to be 5.27GB for mobile, 13GB for consoles, and 14.9GB for PC.

Fortnite Chapter Two: new map, gameplay and BOATS

A whole new world – to swim in?We expected a new map after the previous island was destroyed by that pesky black hole – and we were right. There's a brand new island to play around in with 13 different areas, which seem to feature a lot more mountains and water features (rivers, lakes, beaches) along with brand new swim and dive mechanics. You can even eat fish to refill your HP, for some reason.

Boats boats boatsThere's also now motorboats for zooming and shooting around in, giving a number of new ways to navigate the island. Sections of the island also remind us a bit of the Savage map in PUBG – which also had boat-based warfare a while before Fortnite thought of it.

Fewer gunsThere's a streamlined arsenal of weaponry this time around, no doubt to keep things simple at the outset of Season 1. Mainstays like the Pickaxe and Assault Rifle remain, however.

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Better graphicsFortnite Chapter 2 also comes with a visual upgrade, with cleaner and more vivid graphics throughout, with Fortnite streamer DrLupo saying that "The graphics genuinely makes it look like a brand new game".

Level cap is goneOther new additions include the removal of the level cap, meaning those of you at Level 100 can continue earning XP and transcending to the Fortnite master you always knew you could be. We're not currently sure what the new cap is, but 200 seems the most obvious choice (?).

Do you even lift?You can also lift and carry friends to safety, or even pick up foes to take them away from it (yes, really).

Shoot health at your friends!One incredible addition is a new health bazooka – the Bandage Bazooka, to be exact – that will revive your fallen squad members, putting friendly fire in a whole new light. There are also new group emotes for high-fiving or synchronizing dance moves together – meaning you never have to floss alone again.

Ways to hide, and things to blow upIn classic Assassin's Creed style, you'll even be able to hide in hay bales (or dumpsters), while "gas tanks and explosive barrels" will make for some exciting environmental dangers you can use to your advantage.

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Where can I play Fortnite?

Fortnite is a free-to-play game available to download on Android and iOS mobile, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Epic makes it money through optional purchases of skins and customizable items, though they are purely cosmetic and won't improve your chances of winning – notwithstanding the ability of your sick outfit to intimidate other players.

Fortnite Season 10 update news and patch notes

What's new? Before it was so rudely interrupted, Fortnite Season 10 had been extended an extra week for its events to wrap up – and now we know why.

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Out of TimeFortnite Season 10 has been extended by a week, adding in a new event called Out of Time which ran from October 8 until the season's end on October 13. Over the course of the event, players had the chance to complete objectives and earn rewards including XP, cosmetics and a loading screen. 

Zone WarsThere were four Limited Time Modes available, all created by users. You can play through them either solo or with your team, all you have to do is select the Solo or Party playlist and you'll be entered into one of the four Zone Wars maps at random. The four available are:

Colosseum which involves an open-island setting that demands fast-paced building abilities; Desert, set in a small town with a diverse range of weapons at your disposal; Downhill River in which you have to stay out of the reach of the storm while moving downriver; and Vortex with a challenging mountainous terrain. 

Weapons and itemsThe Flint-Knock pistol has been unvaulted alongside the Bouncer.

Batman crossoverTo celebrate the 80th anniversary of Batman, Fortnite introduced a Batman crossover event which ran until October 6. This event saw Tilted Towers transformed into Gotham City, with players given their very own Batman capes and Glider Redeploy abilities – as well as a Grapnel Gun, Explosive Batarang, and other themed outfits / items available for purchase. 

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Read the patch notes for this update in full on the official Epic website to find out more about bug fixes and smaller changes.

Can I play Fortnite on mobile?

Yes you can! Well, maybe. After months of waiting, Fortnite is finally on both iOS and Android, though you'll need a phone that can actually run the game.

iOS users can download straight from the App Store. As long as you're using iOS 11 on iPhone 6S/SE, iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad 2017, iPad Pro devices or later you'll be fine. Oh, and you'll need an internet connection, naturally.

Fortnite also hit Android phones and finally came out of beta in October 2018. You can see the full list of phones – and how to find the Fortnite Installer – on our Fortnite on Android page.

Is it the full game?

It is the full Fortnite game. There are some small differences: it's not quite as visually impressive as it is on more powerful devices, the controls are touchscreen, and a lot of audio cues have been made visual so you can play comfortably in public without the need for headphones. But you won't be missing out on any key features.  

(Image credit: Epic Games)

What's the deal with cross-play?

A sweet deal is what it is. While previously Xbox One and PS4 owners couldn't play the game together, Sony's U-turn on the matter means that now everyone across Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android can all take part in the crossfire.

So if you've got friends that prefer PC, others that prefer console and you're off on holiday with your mobile, that's no reason for the fun to stop.

There's also cross-progression. So, if you're logged into your Fortnite account on mobile and you later log into your console to play there, everything you did on mobile later that day is carried over.  

Sounds great, how do I get it?

We have a guide on how to get Fortnite on mobile on TechRadar and we're constantly updating it with the latest rollout news. If your device isn't there yet, keep checking back and one day it probably will be.

What's a Fortnite Battle Pass?

The Battle Pass is a purchasable item in Fortnite that gives you access to exclusive in-game rewards. 

As players complete daily challenges and level up their rank, they earn Battle Stars which can then be used to unlock Tiers in their Battle Pass. Each new Tier you unlock will bring both Free and Premium rewards. Season 10 has also seen the introduction of missions to the battle pass. These are thematic objectives that span the island and on completing them you'll unlock additional rewards. 

Everyone who has a Battle Pass will get the Free reward they unlock, but only Premium Pass holders will get the Premium reward. Battle Pass Premium can only be purchased with in-game V bucks and not with real money.

You can purchase a Battle Pass for around £7/$10 in the Battle Pass tab of the game's menu. 

Twitch Prime benefits

Those who use Twitch Prime and play Fortnite will be glad to know that they have access to free loot right now. Those with a Prime account can claim the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack and the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack 2 which include a host of cosmetic items and are available across all platforms.

The first pack includes two exclusive gliders and outfits: the Havoc Outfit and Back Bling, plus the Sub Commander Outfit and Slipstream Glider.  The second pack contains three exclusive items for Fortnite's Battle Royale mode including the camouflage-heavy Trailblazer Outfit, the True North Back Bling, and the Tenderizer Pickaxe. There's also a brand new dance emote for those that like the dance floor as much as the battleground. 

The packs can only be claimed on a single platform, but they can be shared across PC/console and mobile as long as you use the same Epic account across these platforms. You can't however, share your loot across PS4 and Xbox One even if you are using the same Epic account. 

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