Those new Fortnite map-leaked images are fake

Fortnite had another viral moment last October when it literally shut down the game for two days, leaving gamers with only an image of a black hole. Since that time, the game has embraced a new map and new chapter in its story.

But season 1 of that first chapter — which has lasted from October 2019 to January 2020 — is about to end.

A second chapter is on the way. And it could bring massive changes.

Or maybe not.

What’s going on: Multiple reports suggested a bunch of leaked images show what’s to come in Fornite chapter 2, season 2, including a slight map change that will certainly have gamers rethinking their approach to playing.

• But apparently those leaks are fake. KinaKingy explained in a Reddit post he made the fake images to bolster some season 2 chatter and go viral, according to FortniteIntel. But the images are fake.
• There was some skepticism about the leaks since they originated on the social media platform 4chan. Fake leaks have happened before with this game.

What the fake leaks showed: The fake leaked offer a hint at a map change, which usually come with new seasons in Fortnite.

• The slurp: Slurpy Swamp and Misty Meadows have been destroyed and there’s a giant purple flooding over the area. There’s a dam at that part of the map that keeps back the blue slurpy water. The leaks hint that the dam might have broken and flooded the locations.
• Toxic: A glance at Steamy Stacks shows a pink smoke hovering above the area. This might indicate that the Steamy Stacks location — which is a pair of stacks holding in purple smoke — has crashed or gone haywire, leading to a flood of the toxic air.
• Trailer: Two stills of the season 2 trailer show characters staring into the distance with a purple filter around them.

What they’re saying: Forbes writer Paul Tassi explained why these leaks would be real.

• The power plant exploding would fit the ongoing plot, which includes there being heroic and villainous versions of each character running across the island. There are “chaos”-themed characters in this season, which would fit the idea of them blowing up a factory, Tassi wrote.
• “And if Slurpy and Misty are destroyed in some other way as well, we could see a different kind of destruction in action over there (flooding, potentially),” according to Tassi.

Bigger picture: The Fortnite season has been one of the longer ever. Epic Games announced recently that the game will be updating to add a new Unreal Engine’s Chaos physics system, whatever that means.

Date: The new season will reportedly begin Feb. 20.