The future has arrived, literally, in Season 9 of Fortnite Battle Royale. The massive update is headlined by the addition of futuristic locations to the classic Fortnite map and the Slipstream wind transportation system.
After the destruction of the much loved Tilted Towers and Retail Row by the volcano in the Unvaulting Event towards the end of Season 8, futuristic versions of those classic locations called ‘Neo Towers’ and ‘Mega Mall’, respectively, have taken their place.
Fortnite developer Epic Games hinted at the new location when they teased the release of Season 9 with images that spelled out the word “Neo”. The developer also teased the futuristic theme of Season 9, referring to it as “Unknown”, “Bright”, and “Tilted”.
With all-new locations to explore, Epic has also introduced a new way to get around the map in the Slipstreams, which are tunnels of wind that passively carry players down the stream.
While the Slipstream will automatically move players within it, they can move faster and change direction when they actively try to move down the Stream. Players will be launched when exiting the stream, with the distance based on their movement speed and exit angle.
To gain extra velocity in the stream, players can use directional inputs to bob up and down for greater speed. All that speed won’t make you fully safe in the stream however, as projectiles from enemies and even vehicles can also enter it.
Alongside the Slipstreams, Air Vents have also been scattered around the map. These give off powerful gusts of air that can launch players short distances and grant immunity to fall damage.
The update also adds the Combat Shotgun to the game, which is a semi-automatic weapon with a tight spread and fast fire rate. It is available in Rare, Epic, and Legendary variants from Floor Loot, Chests, Supply Drops, and Vending Machines.
Drum Guns and Boom Bows have also been made less available, while grenades have been unvaulted.
Players will also have to say goodbye to Clingers, Buried Treasure, the Pump Shotgun, Poison Dart Traps, the Scoped Revolver, the Suppressed and Thermal Assault Rifles, as well as Balloons, as these have all been vaulted.
For a full list of the changes with Fortnite Season 9, check the patch notes.
READ MORE: The Drum Gun returns in Fortnite’s ‘The Unvaulting’ event
