The next chapter of Fortnite is here, literally. While everyone expected a new season, Epic Games blew that forecast out of the water with a brand new map and new gameplay mechanics, complete with a lustrous, updated coat of paint. 

Chapter 4 Season 1 brings new Unreal Engine elements to Fortnite, making it one of the prettiest battle royale games available now. But that's not all. New named locations, weapons, and augmented gameplay mechanics headline several changes that make Fortnite better than ever. 

We've compiled this list of major changes that Chapter 4: Season 1 brought to Fortnite to help you prepare for the next PlayStation Cup Tournament. 

A Whole New Map

An entire map, complete with a handful of new locations, has emerged after the Chapter 3 Season 4 cinematic concluded. The map shifts many of the known biomes – areas full of forests, mountains, and snow – around from where they were previously located. 

The mixture of new mechanics and weapons has made spawn fights much more competitive. Players will need to find an advantage whenever possible. The earliest advantage right off the Battle Bus is gaining the high ground. Here are some of the new named locations that have plenty of tall buildings and mountains you can start fights from:

• The Citadel
• Brutal Bastion
• Frenzy Fields
• Anvil Square
• Shattered Slabs

There are plenty of viable options among the loot pool this season, making almost any spot a good drop point to begin a match from. Just ensure you don't get caught on the wrong end of a mountain.  

Plenty of New Mechanics 

Let's start with the significant changes. Chapter 4 brings an entirely new perk system to Fortnite. Augmented Abilities give players enhancements that impact a variety of gameplay elements. Some make weapons more powerful, while others make the spawn rate of items, like Chug Splashes, much higher. Augmented Abilities, for better or worse, are a game changer. 

Here is a list of all Augmented Abilities and how they impact Fortnite:

• Aerialist - Grants you Glider redeploy for the rest of the match.
• Bloodhound - Enemies hit by your marksman rifle or bow shots are marked for a brief duration.
• Bow Specialist - Bows draw and reload faster, and you regenerate arrows over time.
• Bush Warrior - You regenerate health and partial shields while inside large foliage.
• Chug Gunner - Receive a Chug Cannon.
• Demolition Munitions - Objects you destroy have a chance to drop explosives. Excludes player-built structures.
• First Assault - The first bullet in the magazine of your Assault Rifle deals bonus damage.
• Forecast - You can always see the next storm circle.
• Jelly Angler - Receive a fishing rod. You can use it for fishing anywhere, but you can only fish up Jellyfish.
• Light Fingers - Makes your weapons using Light Ammo reload faster.
• Mechanical Archer - Gives you a Mechanical Explosive Bow and Mechanical Shockwave Bow.
• More Parkour - Your energy regenerates briefly after mantling or hurdling.
• Party Time - Gain Balloons over time.
• Pistol Amp - Pistols have significantly increased magazine sizes.
• Rifle Recycle - Weapons using medium ammo have a chance not to consume ammo.
• Rushing Reload - Sprinting will slowly reload your equipped shotgun.
• Soaring Sprints - While sprinting, you’ll be able to jump much higher—and jump with lower gravity.
• Splash Medic - You have a chance to find Chug Splash in every container you open.
• Storm Mark - When the storm changes, ping the area to highlight nearby enemies for a short duration.
• Supercharged - Your vehicles won’t consume fuel, and they’ll have increased health.
• Tactical Armory - Grants a Rare Tactical AR and Combat Shotgun.
• Tricked Out - Entering a car or truck applies Chonkers and Cow Catchers to it.

Augments are activated once a prompt pops up on the screen. A random selection of Augments the player unlocked will pop up for them to choose from. Players can select one from that list or try and "reroll" to get another randomly generated list of Augments. The first reroll is free, while additional rolls cost gold bars. 

These Augmented Abilities add another layer of complexity and randomness to an already hectic battle royale. We'll have to wait and see how Epic Games adds to and changes this system going forward. 

Other small changes have made Fortnite a much smoother experience. Sprinting and mantling are faster, creating a quick parkour system that makes for incredibly tense ground combat. 

Hammers, Rifles, and Much More

A new Chapter means plenty of new weapons as well. New Shotguns, Assault Rifles, Consumables, and melee weapons now fill the chests of the island. Plenty of familiar items – like the DMR and Scar Assault Rifle – return as well. 

Here is a breakdown of all the new weapons introduced in Chapter 4:

• Ex Caliber Rifle - A semi-auto rifle that fires explosive swords at your opponent that do 50 damage on a non-headshot.
• Thunder Shotgun - A pump shotgun that fires two rounds simultaneously. It deals 105 damage on a non-headshot.
• Maven Auto Shotgun - Another shotgun that deals 85 damage per shot, but hits at longer ranges. 
• Red-Eye Assault Rifle - An automatic rifle with the ability to aim down sights (ADS) in first-person. Deals 46 damage per non-headshot. 
• Twin Mag SMG - A quick-fire submachine gun with a double-sided magazine that deals 18 damage per body shot. 
• Tactical Pistol - A new pistol that deals 25 damage per body shot. 
• Shockwave Hammer - A new melee item that launches the user into the air for a devastating slam attack. This is one of the most significant new additions of the season, as it gives players a way to bounce around the map quickly while dealing a ton of damage. 

There are also a few new Consumables that help players gain health and shield in a pinch:

• Slap Juice - Heals HP while giving players faster energy restoration.
• Slap Berries - Same effects as the juice, but less impactful. 
• Sky Jellies - Floating jellyfish that grant shields and make players bounce with every step. 

Chapter 4 has already shaped Fortnite into a different type of battle royale when compared to Chapter 3. Players will be dissecting these changes for weeks to come, and Epic will be sure to keep the curve balls coming with new content in the near future. 

But that doesn't mean you can't take what you've learned and jump into the next Fortnite PlayStation Cup. We're excited to see how players use these new abilities, locations, and weapons while fighting to be the last person standing.