Fortnite Season 8 Begins with Trailer, New Map, Battle Pass, Plane Vaulted, More

Season 8 of Fortnite Battle Royale kicked off Thursday with widespread changes to the popular video game's map, a new battle pass and numerous gameplay modifications that will alter the meta in both casual and competitive play amid a challenge from Apex Legends. 

Epic Games released a trailer for the new season, which features a pirate theme:

The biggest location changes came in the northeast corner of the map.

Longtime point of interest Wailing Woods was removed in favor of an area highlighted by a volcano with Lazy Lagoon and Sunny Steps added along with the return of Risky Reels. The Block, which had replaced Risky, was moved to the previous location of the motel east of Junk Junction.

Here's a look at the updated map:

As for gameplay, the most noticeable change announced in the latest patch notes will be the absence of the X-4 Stormwing plane, which wreaked havoc through Season 7.

Although the planes succeeded in providing a significant mobility item at a time when the map was first expanded to include the winter landscape, their ability to destroy buildings and player-built structures with ease for a majority of the season was overpowered.

The All Terrain Kart (ATK) and shopping cart were also removed. It leaves the Quadcrasher and driftboard as the only mobility vehicles. Balloons, rifts, redeploy and zip lines also remain as ways to move help avoid the storm and move around the map.

Fortnite also welcomed the arrival of the Pirate Cannon, which can either shoot a cannonball at an opponent or be loaded with a player inside to send them flying toward an opponent or into the safe zone.

Other additions include lava around the volcano (one damage per touch), volcanic vents (boost players or vehicles into the sky) and a variety of alterations to game sound both for weapons and opponents, including a long-awaited attempt to improve vertical audio.

Finally, the start of a season always means the arrival of a new Battle Pass.

Most gamers were able to unlock the Season 8 Battle Pass for free by completing the overtime challenges at the end of last season. For everyone else, it's once again available for 950 V-Bucks ($9.50).

Pass owners are immediately rewarded with the Blackheart and Hybrid progressive skins, which feature different stages that become unlocked during the course of the season. There are a multitude of other items throughout the 100 stages, including other outfits, emotes, pets, weapon wraps and more.

Season 8 of Fortnite runs through May 8 as it attempts to reassert its Twitch dominance over Apex Legends, which has often taken the top viewership spot after its release by EA in early February.