Everything That's New In Fortnite's Season 8 Update

Fortnite's big 8.0 update has gone live on all platforms, which means Season 8 of the popular battle royale game is officially underway. As teased, this season is themed around pirates, and the scurvy seadogs have brought with them a new cannon weapon, which can be used to fire cannonballs or even your own character. Epic has also made some big changes to the game's map; a volcano has emerged from the island, and there are two new surrounding areas to explore.

Of course, a new season also means a new Battle Pass is available to purchase, and it comes with a ton of new skins and cosmetic rewards to unlock. And that's nothing to say of the other tweaks Epic has made to the game. To help catch you up on all the changes, we've rounded up everything that's new in Season 8 of Fortnite below. Expect plenty more to change in the coming weeks; Epic tends to roll out new content regularly, and it already looks like--after introducing an Apex Legends-style ping system--respawns could also be coming to Fortnite in the near future.

Fortnite 8.0 Update Patch Notes

The patch notes for Fortnite's 8.0 update are out now, and they detail a ton of changes to the game. On top of adding new areas to the island (more on that below), Epic has introduced a new weapon: the aforementioned Pirate Cannon. This can be used to destroy faraway structures or even fire players across the map.

Another major edition in the update is Party Assist, a new feature that allows every player in a party to contribute progress toward challenges. Epic has also copied one of Apex Legends' best features, adding a ping system of its own to Fortnite. Finally, the developer has brought back two LTMs--50v50 and Close Encounters--and vaulted a handful of Season 7's weapons.

Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass And New Skins

As it does every season, Epic is offering a new Battle Pass for Fortnite. If you finished all of Season 7's extra Overtime challenges, you can claim the new pass for free, while everyone else can purchase it for its usual price of 950 V-Bucks.

Just as before, the Season 8 Battle Pass gives players access to a slate of exclusive challenges. Completing these will level the pass up, which in turn will unlock Season 8's new skins and other cosmetics. Purchasing the Battle Pass will also automatically give players the Blackheart and Hybrid skins, both of which can evolve into different styles.

Fortnite Season 8 Challenge Guides

As in previous seasons, Epic is giving players a variety of challenges to complete each week in Season 8. These are divided into two categories: those that are open to everyone, and those reserved for players who've purchased a Battle Pass.

The first set of weekly challenges is now available, and they task players to visit the new Pirate Camps and find a giant face in the desert, jungle, and snow, among other things. You can find the full list of this season's objectives in our complete Season 8 challenges guide.

Free

• Visit all Pirate Camps (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
• Search chests at Retail Row or Junk Junction (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
• Stage 1 of 3: Deal damage with a Shotgun and an explosion weapon in a single match (2) -- 3 Battle Stars

Premium

• Visit a giant face in the desert, jungle, and the snow (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
• Use a Volcano Vent in a different matches (5) -- 5 Battle Stars
• Get an elimination with a Shotgun, Assault Rifle, and Explosive Weapon (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
• Deal damage to a vehicle driven by an opponent (200) -- 10 Battle Stars

Fortnite Season 8 Map Changes

Along with all the new items and cosmetics, Season 8 has brought some significant changes to Fortnite's map. The mysterious earthquakes that shook up the island toward the end of Season 7 have resulted in a giant volcano emerging toward the northeastern part of the map.

The volcano is ringed by a pool of lava that will harm players and cause them to bounce away if they come in contact with it, and there are new Volcanic Vents dotted the island; these expel gusts of air that can send players flying.

On top of that, two new areas have also appeared on the map. To the east of the volcano is Sunny Steps, which features Mayan-like pyramids. To the west is Lazy Lagoon, where a huge pirate ship is docked.