Here’s how secret Battle Stars and Fortbytes work in Fortnite’s season 9

You must complete weekly challenges to unlock secret Fortbytes.

Image via Epic Games

Secret items in Fortnite: Battle Royale’s season nine have changed in comparison to previous seasons.

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Players can still get secret Battle Stars after completing full sets of weekly challenges, as usual. But this time, there are no secret banners alternating with them like in season eight. Instead, Epic seems to be adding hidden Fortbytes that players can only see in their panel after completing sets of weekly tasks.

Related: All our Fortnite challenge guides for season 9

When season nine was released, players with the premium Battle Pass had immediate access to week one challenges, which let them grab a secret Battle Star after they finished them off. And despite week two becoming available only a week later, they could also find a Fortbyte that should only be available after week two challenges were released.

In week three, another Battle Star became available. Now that we’re in week four, though, no Fortbyte challenge has appeared and there’s no hint that there’s a Battle Star either.

That’s because Epic’s changed how to find these biweekly Fortbytes. Players must first unlock the loading screen to be able to see its respective Fortbyte challenge, just like they did in season eight with secret Battle Stars and banners. It’s not possible to collect these Fortbytes as you did with the one of week two. Now you must finish off challenges to see it.

Here’s the season nine schedule for secret items in Fortnite: Battle Royale.

  • Secret Battle Star: Weeks one, three, five, seven, and nine
  • Secret Fortbyte: Weeks two, four, six, eight, and 10

So far, there are no signs that secret banners are a thing in season nine. You shouldn’t expect to find them at any time.

If you want to get all of the secret items in season nine, you’ll have to work for them. Complete all weekly challenges you have available to be up to date with the Utopia challenges and unlock everything you can.

Secret Battle Stars will give you a free Battle Pass tier, while collecting 90 Fortbytes throughout the season will let you unlock the Utopia skin.

Author
Image of Bhernardo Viana
Bhernardo Viana
Bhernardo is senior guides writer and strategist at Dot Esports. He's been working in the gaming industry for over 9 years, with works published on Destructoid, Prima Games, ESPN, and more. A fan of Pokémon since 6 years old and an avid Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch player. Now writing strategy and quests guides for several mobile and PC titles.