Fortnite Chapter 2 - Season 2 Release Date and New Physics Engine Announced
The end of Fortnite Chapter 2 - Season 1 is finally in sight. Chapter 2 - Season 1 has been by far the longest season in Fortnite history and most players will agree that it has overstayed its welcome. Releasing on October 15, 2019, Chapter 2 - Season 1 was originally set to end in December 2019. It has now been delayed twice, with Epic Games confirming today that Season 2 will drop on February 20, 2020.
It’s not that the new chapter has been bad necessarily, it has just lacked in the content that Fortnite fans are accustomed to. In a game that is known for its weekly updates, Chapter 2 has had almost no real changes or additions. A harpoon gun, the return of the heavy assault rifle and the holiday update with snowmen and ice blocks has been about the extent of it. To top it off, Epic Games has essentially gone silent in their communication involving competitive Fortnite.
What to Expect Next Season
Well, Epic Games may have an explanation for all of this. In their announcement today, Epic Games declared that Fortnite will be moving to an entirely new physics engine — the Unreal Engine’s Chaos physics system.
“Beginning with the release of the 11.50 update in early February, Fortnite will be moving to Unreal Engine’s Chaos physics system. At launch, the goal is to ensure that Fortnite still feels like Fortnite. Along the way there will be some bumps, so we’re starting tests with a small group of players. We’ll also closely monitor feedback and make improvements over time.”
Below is a gameplay demo of the Unreal Engine’s Chaos physics system in action. One can only speculate on how these physics will translate to Fortnite. Will buildings crumble and leave rubble instead of just disappearing into thin air? Will players be able to pickaxe a hole into a wall and shoot through it without completely destroying the wall?
It looks like players will be left to their imaginations for now. Epic Games did not provide any details on how players can expect this new physics engine to effect gameplay or graphics. Epic was intent on keeping details to a minimum, teasing features of the new season but blocking out the imperative content. Epic Games capped off the short announcement with news of additional Overtime Challenges and stating that there will be another two-week event before the season's end.
The event in question will likely be a Birds of Prey X Fortnite crossover. Earlier this morning, the Fortnite official Twitter account responded to a tweet from Warner Bros. Pictures with “See you soon Harley!” Birds of Prey is the new DC Comics movie releasing on February 7 starring Joker’s famous sidekick, Harley Quinn. Fortnite is known for their collaborations with superhero universes such as Marvel and DC.
Player Reaction to the News
Players reacted to this news with frustration and cautious optimism. In response to the announcement tweet, Fortnite YouTuber Voqz wrote, “ITS BEEN 5 MONTHS GIVE US THE NEW SEASON ALREADY.”
In an attempt to be more constructive, Fortnite superstar Ninja tweeted out, “Epic has just announced they are making a switch to a new physics engine in the new season. This is the reason (more than likely) no tournaments have not been announced. I am excited and nervous for the new season.”
This news has sparked a ton of opinions and theories, but it is impossible to know what is really in store until Epic releases more details. Stay tuned here at GGIntel as more details pour in on Chapter 2 - Season 2 and the new physics engine.
Main image via Epic Games
