Fortnite Chapter 5, Season 1 patch notes: Map, weapons, and more

The follow-up to the OG dream era.

Fortnite characters shooting weapons on a train.
Image via Epic Games

Fortnite returned to its glory days with the OG season. While many fans wanted it to last longer, Epic Games wanted to proceed with other plans that materialized in Chapter Five, season one.

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As the new chapter comes after a very well-received season, it’ll have some big shoes to fill. From a new map to new questing mechanics, there will be lots of new content in the new chapter, and if it lives up to the OG hype, the Fortnite takeover may proceed at full speed.

New Fortnite map for Chapter 5, season 1, and quests

The Chapter 5, season 1 map for Fortnite.
It looks like the OG map but with multiple twists. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The classic Fortnite map only lasted for a season, and it’s time for another new layout for the Fortnite world. The most notable design change looks to be the railways scattered around the island.

In Chapter Five, season one, most landmarks will be connected via a train that will depart from the Grand Station. Some of the more notable landmarks in the new map are as follows:

  • Reckless Railways
  • Ritzy Riviera
  • Rebel’s Roost
  • Hazy Hillside
  • Grand Glacier Hotel

When players load into the new map, they’ll be presented with Match Quests that will replace the Dailies. The Match Quests will aim to cause fewer distractions for players as they’ll be more performance-centered than Daily Quests.

New event: Winterfest 2023

Fortnite’s Chapter five, season one arrives just in time for a holiday-themed event in the game. Following the new season’s release, Epic Games will treat fans to a Winterfest 2023 event where parts of the map will be covered in snow.

The event is expected to go live with its own set of challenges and cosmetic rewards.

The Big Bang battle pass

Fortnite Chapter 5, season 1 characters.
More collaborations may or may not come during the season. Screenshot by Dot Esports

It wouldn’t be a proper Fortnite season without a stacked battle pass. The Chapter Five, season one battle pass includes a LEGO collaboration and Family Guy cameos, alongside many other originals.

Powerful bosses and shield mechanics

The new Fortnite season adds five bosses to the map. Oscar, Nisha, Montague, Valeria, and Peter Griffin of Family Guy will lurk around the map, guarding their precious Society Medallions. If you keep one of these medallions in your inventory, it’ll provide you with Shield regeneration.

Fortnite shield medals.
One for each victory. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Having more than one Society Medallion in your inventory will result in faster Shield regen with each tick. However, these medallions can also be a double-edged sword since you’ll have a target on your back visible to nearby enemies as you carry them in your inventory.

Epic also added another new item for Shield Regeneration, FlowBerry. Upon consuming this item, “a bit” of your nearby teammates and your Shield will regenerate.

MedKit and Shield Potion received changes, and both will start restoring HP/Shield respectively, immediately as players start to use them. This approach was added to the revive mechanic as well, so moving out of range won’t instantly reset the timer; instead, it’ll slowly increase.

Vehicles and cosmetics

We’ve had plenty of cool cars in Fortnite in the past years, but the Grandeur Trailsmasher SUV looks to be on another level. We hope that this off-road vehicle handles Fortnite’s ever-changing roads as it looks suggest.

Fortnite SUV in chapter 5, season 1.
Fortnite‘s very own G-Wagon. Screenshot by Dot Esports

To celebrate the arrival of this Mercedes G-Series lookalike, Fortnite also added a new cosmetics category to the game, Cars. Decals, Wheels, and Car Bodies will now be available as cosmetic items, giving players a new tier of customization that grants zero competitive advantage. All Fortnite players were also gifted the OEM wheels from Rocket League with the patch.

New weapons and customization mechanics

Ballistic Shield is now a reality in Fortnite Chapter five, season one. This familiar weapon allows players to defend themselves from enemy attacks as they can also shoot back with the included pistol.

Fortnite's Ballistic Shield.
None shall riot against you. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Ballistic Shield can also double as a weapon, too, since it comes with a charging ability that knocks back opponents.

In addition to the Ballistic Shield, the new season introduces other new guns like Hammer Pump Shotgun, Nemesis AR, Frenzy Auto Shotgun, Thunder Burst SMG, Striker AR, Hyper SMG, Reaper Sniper Rifle, and Ranger Pistol. These weapons were accompanied by mobility items like Grapple Blade and explosives such as Cluster Clinger.

These new weapons and the old ones now have a new home for customizations in Mod Benches located inside Vaults. You can use bars to reduce recoil, and even increase bullet capacity.

Animations and building mechanics

Fortnite animations just got more realistic with Motion Matching, Procedural Layering, and Physics-Based Animation. You won’t need to enable a certain setting for these new features, as they’ll be on by default.

A strong wind might start ruining your Fortnite hair. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Additionally, there’s also a new way of interacting with enemy structures. On enemy walls, you can see a plank that can be used to jump upwards, giving you more options to catch your opponents off-guard.

Author
Image of Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan is a Staff Writer and Fortnite Lead at Dot Esports. Gökhan graduated as an industrial engineer in 2020 and has since been with Dot Esports. As a natural-born gamer, he honed his skills to a professional level in Dota 2. Upon giving up on the Aegis of Champions in 2019, Gökhan started his writing career, covering all things gaming, while his heart remains a lifetime defender of the Ancients.