Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2 release date, news and updates

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Since its launch in 2017, Fortnite has been a worldwide phenomenon and its headline-making move into a second chapter in October 2019 was only further confirmation of that. 

After Epic Games dumped its beloved game world into a massive black hole, leaving players without warning, assurance, or confirmation of what was to come next, it came back with its biggest update ever: Fortnite Chapter 2.

Fortnite Chapter 2 brought plenty of tweaks and, most significantly, a brand new map for players to explore. 

Now, though, what was new is becoming old and after one of Fortnite's longest seasons to date, players are ready to see some change. It's probably just as well, then, that Epic has confirmed Fortnite Chapter 2's second season is coming on February 20 2020. 

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.

© Provided by Future Publishing Ltd. (Image credit: Epic Games) What is Fortnite Chapter Two?

Back in 2019, Fortnite had a reboot of sorts. Players were given a rude awakening on Sunday 13 October, when a massive black hole destroyed the game's island map and shut down all of the battle royale servers. 

It came 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 disappeared, allowing Epic to make a completely fresh start with Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 1, rather than the Season 11 continuation that many expected. 

The new chapter brought some notable changes to Fortnite as well as a brand new map for players to explore. Now, this first season of Fortnite Chapter 2 is coming to a close and players are beginning to look ahead to what's next. After the dramatic end to the first chapter of the game, expectations are high and the possibilities feel endless. 

When will Season 2 of Fortnite Chapter 2 start?

After much speculation, Epic Games has now confirmed that the second season of Fortnite Chapter 2 will begin on Thursday, February 20 2020. 

Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2: what's coming?

Now that we know when the second season of Fortnite Chapter 2 is coming it's only natural to wonder what's coming with it. Unfortunately, we don't really know for sure just yet. 

In its announcement of the game's launch date, Epic kept its cards pretty close to its chest, offering only a redacted sentence which said the season will "feature" something unknown "with multiple" other unknowns. 

Given it was a chapter-ending finale, we're not expecting the scale of Fortnite's last big update this time around but some kind of change is reasonable to expect along with a brand new Battle Pass. Historically, Epic has allowed a story to evolve over the course of several seasons and we could see something begin to pick up now that Season 1 is coming to an end. 

One thing we know for sure is that Epic is moving the game onto Unreal Engine's Chaos physics engine in early February as part of update 11.50. It's not clear just how much of a difference this is likely to make to player experience as Epic has promised that "at launch, the goal is to ensure that Fortnite still feels like Fortnite." Epic is, however, expecting that "along the way there will be some bumps" and as such it's "starting tests with a small group of players" with the intention to monitor feedback and "make improvements over time.

© Provided by Future Publishing Ltd. (Image credit: Epic Games) What's still to come in Season 1?

There are still a few weeks left of Chapter 2 Season 1 and naturally Epic Games isn't going to let things get quiet. 

In its Season 2 announcement, the developer confirmed that players will be able to enjoy more overtime challenges as Season 1 comes to an end, as well as a brand new two-week event. 

Now, what exactly this event is hasn't been confirmed. However, there have been rumors that it could be some kind of tie-in with the new Birds of Prey movie featuring the character Harley Quinn.

When Warner Bros posted a tweet about the film, the official Fortnite account sent a reply which reads "See you soon Harley". Given the game's previous tie-ins with Star Wars and Marvel movies, this is a pretty convincing hint that the final event of Season 1 could involve Birds of Prey. 

That said, nothing has been confirmed by Epic Games just yet so we'll have to sit tight and wait a bit longer to know for sure. 

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.

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.  

© Provided by TechRadar (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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