The highly-anticipated fifth season of Fortnite is upon us, and it has brought many gifts for players. Not only have there been a significant amount of changes to the map, but there are also a plethora of new cosmetic goodies for all to enjoy.

These, of course, aren’t the only things that are different this time around. A new vehicle has been added to the mix, as well as a few changes to how things operate with the Battle Pass. Epic Games has really brought the heat with Season 5, and it’s clear that they want to give players a reason to keep coming back. Before we get into the rundown, here’s a brief description from Epic:

Viking ships, desert outposts, and ancient statues have appeared across the island. Hop in an All Terrain Kart (ATK) with your squad and uncover all-new mysteries and locations that await.”

Now that that’s out of the way, here’s everything you should know before you go jumping off of that Battle Bus in Season 5!

Map Changes:

Season 4 saw a lot of changes to the Fortnite map. When the meteor came crashing down, it took out Dusty Depot, a mansion was added, as was the villain lair and a few other pieces here and there. Throughout the season, a few tweaks were made, but when the rocket was sent into another dimension, it created a few cracks in the sky, which has now led to all of the changes to the map this time around.

As can be seen in the images above, a new desert biome has consumed Moisty Mire. The location is now called Paradise Palms, and just outside of the downtown area, the dirt track has now been turned into an actual racetrack. Anarchy Acres has now become Lazy Links, a golf resort. In addition to these places taking over parts of the map, the mountain just southeast of Snobby Shores has been transformed into a waterfall that features a viking ship atop it.

These aren’t the only things that have changed on the map. There are now rifts all throughout the playable area. Entering one will transport players to a rift in the sky, letting them drop to where they desire. This is rather useful when attempting to escape the storm, or just when you need to get out of the heat of battle. Speaking of which, there’s a new vehicle!

The All Terrain Kart (ATK):

This new vehicle is meant for drifting your way through the freshly paved racetrack, but we all know it won’t stay there. The ATK, after all, is meant for various types of terrain – it would be a shame to keep it on asphalt. Here’s more:

• The new All Terrain Kart (ATK) has room for your entire squad.
• Get a speed boost after drifting.
• The roof acts as a bounce pad.
• Work together as rear passengers to leap over obstacles with the All Terrain Kart (ATK). Lean back and release at the same time for a higher jump.
  • Lean back by holding S on keyboards or holding back on the thumbstick for controllers.

Battle Pass Changes:

As Fortnite players already know, purchasing the Battle Pass each season unlocks 10 weeks of challenges. Completing each objective rewards one with battle stars, which then help level up the battle pass, unlocking new rewards and V-Bucks.

Instead of only Battle Pass owners being able to complete challenges each week, those without still have an opportunity to get some rewards. The first three challenges each week will be available for everyone, while the bottom four are solely for Battle Pass holders (format seen above). For example, here are the challenges from Week 1:

Free Challenges

• Deal damage with SMGs to opponents (500)
• Search a Supply Llama (1)
• Clinger, Stink Bomb or Grenade Eliminations (3) (HARD)

Battle Pass Challenges

• Search Chests in Snobby Shores (7)
• Search floating Lightning Bolts (7)
• Follow the treasure map found in Risky Reels (1) (HARD)
• Eliminate opponents in Retail Row (3) (HARD)

Cosmetic Items:

As it is with any new season of Fortnite action, glorious cosmetics are always available. Last season’s theme brought about superheroes to fight epic villains. This time around, world’s have collided and it is absolute chaos! Vikings and modern day folks are coming together to create an interesting Season 5.

That said, it’s only the beginning of the season, which means it will be some time before we get a good look at all of the cosmetics. Of course, that’s what one would say if someone hadn’t datamined the upcoming skins, gliders, harvesting tools, back bling, and emotes. Check those out below:

Fortnite is currently available on PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox One, and iOS devices. Season 5 is well underway, and you can read all of the glorious patch notes right here. Keep it tuned to Don’t Feed the Gamers as this story develops, and for other gaming goodness going on right now, check out the following:

• Dragon Age Origins, Mass Effect Veteran Departs BioWare After 22 Years
• PUBG Update #17.1 Live Featuring Server Optimizations, Bug Fixes, And More
• Devs Tease The Witcher Franchise’s Return, But Don’t Call It “The Witcher 4”

What say you, gamers? Have you already been shredding up the greens at Lazy Links? Are you getting some mileage out of the new ATKs? Sound off in the comments section below, and be sure to follow DFTG on Twitter for live gaming and entertainment news 24/7!