'Fortnite' season 9 launches today with new map locations, and a huge overhaul to its offline mode

“Fortnite” Season 9 launched on May 9 — adding new outfits, big map changes, and a futuristic theme to the world's most popular game.Tilted Towers and Retail Row, two of the most popular “Fortnite” hotspots, have been destroyed by a volcanic eruption and replaced with two brand new destinations: “Neo Tilted” and “Mega Mall.”Both locations have a futuristic tech theme, and a transportation system called Slipstream will let players ride the wind around the new map locations.Players can purchase the season nine battle pass to unlock seven new skins, including three legendary outfits: Vendetta, Rox, and Sentinel. Leveling the battle pass gives players access to hundreds of rewards.Season nine of “Fortnite” is finally here after a volcanic eruption destroyed two of the game's most popular locations. If nothing else, Epic Games isn't afraid to make big changes, and a new cinematic trailer shows that Season 9 of “Fortnite” is all about the future.Youtube Embed: //www.youtube.com/embed/Y__AysHzUWo Width: 560px Height: 315pxWith more than 250 million registered players, “Fortnite” is the most popular game in the world. It helps that the game is available for free on essentially every modern video-game platform, including PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, and Android. Players can squad up with each other regardless of what platform they choose.The game has three separate modes: the mega-popular Battle Royale, the freewheeling Creative, and the single-player Save The World campaign. The Battle Royale and Creative modes are free to play, while Save the World costs $40.The Season 9 update comes with a new battle pass that adds more than 100 unlockable rewards to the game, along with weekly challenges to encourage players to explore the updated “Fortnite” map.Players who have been keeping up with “Fortnite” should know that Tilted Towers and Retail Row — two of the most recognizable areas in the game — were erased by the volcanic eruption at the end of season 8. In their place, Epic has introduced a pair of brand new destinations, and a new transportation system to help players travel across the island faster.These are all of the key updates in “Fortnite” Season 9: