Fortnite Chapter 4, season 3 patch notes: v25.00 update map changes, raptors, Optimus Prime

Fortnite Chapter Four, season three is here, and things are getting wild. The v25.00 patch brings major map changes, ridable raptors, new weapons, and even Optimus Prime from Transformers. Here’s everything you need to know about the major Fortnite update.

There’s nothing more exciting than a new Fortnite season. While I’ve loved grinding on the rails around cyberpunk-esque MEGA City, I’m more than ready for a change, and it we’re getting some pretty big additions in the v25.00 update.

The island looks very different in season three thanks to new Fortnite map changes, as a huge crater filled with vines, plants, mud, and raptors opened up in the middle of the map. On top of that, there are new weapons, raptors to ride around on, and the arrival of Transformers just to shake things up even more.

Fortnite Chapter Four, season three introduces Transformers crossover

Fortnite Chapter Four, season three’s theme is WILDS. In the cinematic trailer released by Epic, we see the ground of the island crack and fall apart, as four characters stand and watch the seismic shift unfold.

Hidden below the earth are relics of a time gone by. Raptor eggs are hatching, vines and plants have become overgrown, and sitting right in the middle is an ancient temple, full of secrets.

Our intrepid adventurers ride, grind, and run to the temple, finding legendary Transformer Optimus Prime inside.

The regular Optimus Prime skin is available in the Chapter Four, season three battle pass, with the special Optimus Primal skin available to purchase in the Item Shop.

Rideable Raptors hatch out

Raptors are one of the first surprises we see in the Fortnite Chapter Four, season three cinematic trailer. These dinosaurs are about to be very useful, giving players a new way to get around the island.

Simply jump on their back, point them in the right direction, and hang on for dear life as they sprint as fast as they can.

New and unvaulted Fortnite Chapter Four, season three weapons

As always, a new Fortnite season means new weapons, and Epic is really looking to add some firepower to your arsenal. The headline addition in the v25.00 update is the Cybertron Cannon, an explosive addition courtesy of the Autobots. The five new weapons in Fortnite Chapter Four, season three are:

• Thermal DMR: Battle in the jungle, see how a jungle animal sees. While looking through the scope of the Thermal DMR, turn on thermal vision to more easily detect your enemies. 
• FlapJack Rifle: Make heads turn as you best enemies and structures with the Flapjack Rifle. Heads won’t be the only thing turning — this new weapon features a spinning magazine!
• Kinetic Boomerang: Throw the Kinetic Boomerang to hit enemies in its flight path… AND its return path. Miss your target? Recall the boomerang early to trigger a small explosion and try again!
• Cybertron Cannon: There’s going wild, then there’s having a blast. Take up a Cybertron Cannon on the Island to launch a powerful, quick, and explosive projectile. 
• Wildwasp Jar: A hostile insect species known as Wildwasps inhabit the jungle, preferring to swarm around certain plants. Gather them in a jar to throw at enemies! (The Wildwasps set their sights on you? Jump in water or cover yourself in mud to get them off your tail.)

On top of the new weapons, two classic guns are returning from the game’s vault, with the Drum Shotgun and Combat SMG both reentering the loot pool in season three.

New flowers really pack a punch

You may look at flowers as decoration, but that’s definitely not the case in Fortnite. There’s new wildlife in the crater, with Slurp Plants giving us a handy health boost. Be warned though, not all the flora are friendly, with Bomb Flowers and Stink Flowers ready to take your HP away.

• Bomb Flower: Shoot a Bomb Flower to cause an explosion
• Stink Flower: Shoot a Stink Flower to cause a toxic gas cloud to form
• Slurp Plants: Hit a Slurp Plant with your pickaxe to gain health and armor
• Hop Flowers: Run onto a Hop Flower to jump into the air with no fall damage

Fortnite Chapter Four, season three map changes

There are some major changes to the island in Fortnite season three. As seen in the cinematic trailer, a giant crater has opened up in the middle of the map. Hidden inside is the new Temple POI, seemingly built by the Autobots themselves.

The new jungle biome means there’s plenty of mud around, which you can slide into for a speed boost, and for some helpful camouflage. Vines replace the rails from last season to allow you to grind your way around the map, while we can also fight from the heights of the tree canopy if we want an ariel advantage on our enemies.

New Reality Augments

Epic has also added new Reality Augments with the new season, giving even more ways to allow you to play the game exactly how you want to:

• Primal Companion: Gain thermal vision and regenerate Health while riding animals.
• Wildwasp Weaponry: Receive some Wildwasp Jars, and gain an additional one with every elimination.
• Sprint Lines: Gain a Slap effect upon using grind vines, grind rails, ziplines, or Ascenders.
• Shell Slide: Gain Shotgun shells while sliding.
• Swift Shotgun Reload: Your Shotguns will reload faster.
• Reckless Rifle Reload: Your Assault Rifles will reload significantly faster when the magazine is empty.
• Medium Ammo Acquired: Instantly gain medium ammo, then gain more when you open containers.

With Fortnite season three here, there’s no better time to make sure you have the perfect settings to dominate your opponents. Make sure to check out our guides on the best Fortnite PC settings to give yourself the advantage when things get wild on June 9.