New Fortnite Ice Storm Event Begins After The Mysterious Orb Opened

Not long after the release of Fortnite's 7.20 update last week, players noticed that a mysterious icy sphere had appeared in the game above Polar Peak, leading to speculation that it would somehow tie into the impending Season 8. As it would turn out, the sphere actually contained the fabled Ice King, who has now emerged and blanketed the entire island with an ice storm, kicking off a new event.

During an in-game sequence that unfolded this past Saturday, the mysterious sphere burst open, revealing the Ice King, who conjured up a blizzard that rolled over the island. Along with the storm arrived Ice Fiends, zombie-like monsters reminiscent of those that appeared during the Fortnitemares event back in October. You can watch a replay of the entire event below.

The Ice Storm event also brings a new set of challenges to complete. Over the course of the next several days, Epic will be rolling out new objectives. Clearing each will reward you with XP, and finishing six will unlock a black and ice blue wrap. Players who manage to finish all 13 of the Ice Storm challenges will also get a special reward: the Winter's Thorn Glider.

We'll be rounding up the full list of Ice Storm challenges as they're unveiled, so be sure to check back throughout the event. If you need help completing some of Fortnite's other challenges, we also have tips on those in our full Fortnite Season 7 challenge guide.

While the mystery of the ice sphere has seemingly been solved, a few other unusual objects were recently spotted in the game. The iceberg that was once near Happy Hamlet has been destroyed, revealing a mysterious bunker underneath. Players have also discovered strange, giant eggs within prison cells beneath Polar Peak's castle. What these signify is anyone's guess, but we likely won't have to wait too long to find out.