Fortnite Chapter 7 is officially live following scheduled maintenance after the November 29 “Zero Hour” live event, bringing what Epic Games calls its biggest battle royale overhaul yet—including the elimination of the iconic battle bus, drivable reboot vans, a Southwest USA-themed map, and star-studded collabs with Kill Bill and Back to the Future.
Servers went down for 4–7 hours (shorter than the multi-day downtimes of past chapters) and resumed at 4:30 PM PT on Saturday, launching the new chapter in primetime for players across the globe.
Gameplay Gets a Fundamental Shakeup
The most dramatic change comes with the ditching of the battle bus: instead, players now “surf in on the storm” with predetermined drop areas—designed to balance map traffic and prevent overcrowding in popular spots. Though the bus is temporarily gone, quests to rebuild it will wrap up in just over a week.
Other major additions include drivable reboot vans that resurrect knocked teammates when they’re placed in the back, and a self-res item (purchasable from med machines or found in supply drops) that doesn’t take up inventory space but requires 10 seconds to activate. Rounds will also feature “Anomalies”—random variables like “Gold Rush,” which speeds up pickaxe swings and makes broken items drop gold bars.
Southwest USA-Themed Map & New Movement
After Mediterranean Europe (Chapter 5) and Japan (Chapter 6), the new map shifts to the American Southwest, with locations inspired by Los Angeles (Battlewood Boulevard), Las Vegas (Sandy Strip), and Area 51 (Innoloop Labs). It also includes Fortnite’s first roller coaster since the Rave Cave (Chapter 3), rideable hot air balloons, and a wingsuit that works like Iron Man’s Flight Kit—offering a burst of upward speed before gliding.
The Chapter 7 Season 1 battle pass includes 8 skins, headlined by two collaborations: Kill Bill’s The Bride (unlocked instantly with purchase) and Back to the Future’s Marty McFly. Rounding out the pass are four original human characters, a lion man, and a new “Dark Voyager” variant (required to be unlocked last).
In a break from recent seasons, players can choose the order to unlock most skins—with some styles requiring play in specific modes like Reload or Blitz (a return to mode-based cosmetic progression after a year of XP-only unlocks).
The entire loot pool has been refreshed with new weapons like the Holo Rush SMG, Iron Pump Shotgun, and Lightning Gun—plus dual-wield options for Micro SMGs and shotguns. Fittingly, The Bride’s trademark Hanzo sword is also available, obtainable by training with Beatrix Kiddo via portals similar to those used for Star Wars lightsabers.
After last season’s quiet run, Fortnite Festival is back with a music pass and item shop featuring BlackPink star Lisa.
Temporary mode removals (to push players to try the new main mode) will end soon: Blitz and Reload return December 5, and the popular OG mode launches its new season December 11—with an in-universe explanation that the battle bus’s absence delayed their return.
Source: Fornite
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