The new Fortnite season has finally been shown off in earnest at Summer Games Fest, where we also got a look at the cinematic trailer for the upcoming Wilds update, which coincides with Fortnite Chapter 4, Season 3.
Set to launch on June 9 across all platforms, the new update seems to introduce a whole new theme for the island. An early section of the trailer depicts the ground ripping apart, revealing a tropical jungle filled with ancient temples and grind-able vines — as well as rideable dinosaurs.
The characters venture into the temple, where they meet a miniaturized version of Optimus Prime, confirming that at least a few Transformers have finally been made available as playable characters in Fortnite’s constantly expanding roster of extradimensional allies.
We also see the introduction of exploding pustules that could serve as environmental hazards, as well as a new rocket launcher-like weapon.
Ever since its Chapter 4 update in December 2022, Fortnite has continued to make excellent use of Unreal Engine 5, implementing new lighting and texturing systems that showcase the bleeding edge of what Unreal Engine can do with every new season.
It’s fair to expect similar graphical improvements in the new update, though we also recently received the Creator Economy 2.0 update on March 22, which implements the seemingly versatile Unreal Editor for Fortnite tool. This has given creators the power to introduce all-new types of content on their own, including entirely new graphical styles and gameplay, that can be accessed through Fortnite’s backlog of custom-made modes.
As with past seasonal updates, Fortnite Chapter 4, Season 3 is expected to come alongside a new battle pass full of cosmetic rewards, including Optimus Prime (as shown in the cinematic trailer). The new update is expected to drop on June 9 on all platforms Fortnite is compatible with, including Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Switch, and Android.