Fortnite new map changes and additions for Season 8 explained

Publish date: 2023-04-08

Fortnite's map has, like always, been updated with a selection of new locations, landmarks and little changes with the release of Season 8 and the new Season 8 Battle Pass skins.

During Season 8, portals to an alternative dimension known as The Sideways have appeared throughout the Fortnite map. This includes new landmarks where you'll find a number of mysterious cubes and two anomalies which will change locations every match.

Just like in past Chapter 2 seasons, you need to visit all of these locations in person to reveal them on the map. Yet, if you want to know how the land now lies before you start a match, this map page will be quite useful.

Note this particular challenge is no longer able to be completed. What's new? Chapter 3 Season 3 has arrived! New additions include Reality Seeds and Saplings and riding animals, along with the new Battle Pass, characters collection and map changes. It's a good idea to know how to get XP fast in Fortnite.

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Fortnite new map image and changes at a glance

Fortnite's Season 8 map has seen its first update, with the geography of the middle of the map changing and, in doing so, becoming a landmark called The Convergence.

Here is the current Fortnite Season 8 map:

The Cube Queen is, for some unknown reason, building a pyramid in the middle of the map, with the yellow, queen, cube appearing to now be its peak. Beneath the Cube Queen, the purple cubes have grown in size, making the area harder and more dangerous to navigate.

The Pyramid began live as The Convergence, which was a settlement constructed out of purple cubes with the yellow, queen, cube sitting in the middle; the Cube Queen floating above this landmark, her laugh ringing out across the island.

You'll also notice the orange marks across the map, which mark the path the yellow cube took when it awoke the other cubes in the Season 8's opening weeks.

Here's how the Fortnite map looked when the Cube Queen first arrived:

Here's how the Fortnite map looked at the beginning of Season 8:

There are, however, a number of new landmarks for you to discover; these new locations are linked to the alternative dimension, called The Sideways, which the island is slowly being connected to through the power of the cubes.

The new landmarks includes Smashed Stronghold, east of Pleasant Park, and Wasted Woods on the western outskirts of Weeping Woods. In these locations you can find tunnels of purple energy which, if entered, will allow to travel quickly through the area and small cubes you can use to transform into a ghostly form.

Season 8 also brings two new effects to the Fortnite map which will rotate every match. The first is the Sideways Anomaly, which, like the UFOs last season, will appear at a landmark location every match.

When entered the Sideways Anomaly will transport you to The Sideways where gravity is lower and you can't construct any buildings. These anomalies are also home to a number of fiends, which are hostile NPCs, so keep your guard upon!

The second are small pockets of The Sideways where you'll have to defeat waves of fiends for rewards. You can die inside these smaller anomalies, so make sure you're fully prepared before entering!

As mentioned above, the locations for both of these anomalies will change every match, but, luckily, you can find them on the Fortnite map in-match.

Chapter 3 Season 3 has arrived - bringing with it a new Battle Pass, character collection, map locations and Victory Umbrella! You can now ride animals, find Reality Seeds, and use the new Grapple Glove, and Victory Crowns have returned. If you're after a specific Battle Pass skin, then it's a good idea to know how to get XP fast.

Fortnite new map comparisons

Take a look at the maps below to see how the Fortnite island has developed throughout Chapter 2. Starting with the previous season's map:

Here's how it looked at the start of Season 6:

For some comparisons, here's how it looked at the start of Season 5:

Here's how the map looks before and after you've uncovered the new locations at the beginning of the Season 4:

And the start of Season 3, which saw the map flooded:

The new Season 8 locations will no doubt all feature in Challenges as part of the Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass over time - so best get used to them and their new inhabitants!

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