Season 4 of Fortnite: Battle Royale is nearing its end, but Season 5 will follow immediately after. The phenomenally popular battle royale game kicks off its new season very soon, and developer Epic Games has confirmed details of when a new update (and accompanying downtime) will happen, as well as a bit of what to expect on Thursday.

Epic has been teasing that some big changes are in store for the title--although the studio has shared very few concrete details about those will be, leaving players to speculate what the future. It doesn't tell us much, but Epic has revealed the first teaser images for Season 5, which you can see below--the first shows what appears to be a kitsune mask with a rift or crack in front of it, while the other shows a nordic, God of War-esque axe with the same crack.

Still, while there are still many questions surrounding Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale, there are a few things we can expect, such as a new Battle Pass and rewards (skins!) to unlock--not to mention some potential map changes in the aftermath of the recent rocket launch. With Season 5 quickly approaching, we've rounded up everything we know about the new season below, from when it starts to why rifts have begun forming around the island and more. Be sure to check back for further updates as more details and leaks emerge in the run up to the new season; already, we've seen a real-world aspect to all of this pop up, as well as the appearance of new, anachronistic items around the map.

When Does Season 5 Start?

Season 5 is just hours away. Epic confirmed on Reddit that Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale will kick off on Thursday, July 12--immediately after Season 4 concludes. Before it starts, though, we'll get some server downtime on all platforms (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and iOS) that begins at 1 AM PT / 4 AM ET / 9 AM BST / 6 PM AET. This will be followed by a new update that will be larger in size than the average patch, so Epic suggests you verify your auto-download settings if you're eager to jump in as soon as possible. Patch notes will be released once servers are back online and the update is live.

Will There Be a New Battle Pass?

Yes. As before, Epic will offer a Battle Pass for Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale. While the developer has yet to reveal any details about the new Battle Pass, including how much it will cost, each previous Battle Pass could be purchased for 950 V-Bucks (Fortnite's in-game currency). V-Bucks, in turn, can be bought with either real money or earned by reaching certain reward tiers of the Battle Pass (or through playing Fortnite's paid Save the World mode).

The Battle Pass gives players access to additional content, such as new skins, emotes, and other rewards. These can be unlocked by completing weekly challenges and leveling the Battle Pass up. Epic hasn't revealed how many reward tiers will be available with the Season 5 Battle Pass, although Season 4's featured 100 tiers--30 more than the previous Battle Pass. If Epic's previous estimations still hold true, it should take between 75-100 hours of play time to unlock all of the Battle Pass's rewards. Players can also purchase tiers to level the Battle Pass up faster.

What's New With Season 5's Map?

Epic has been characteristically silent about what new elements it plans to introduce to Fortnite: Battle Royale in Season 5, although the developer has been laying the groundwork for some major changes for the game in the run up to the new season. The most notable sign that something big is afoot is the recent rocket launch; after various warning signals began popping up in the game, the mysterious rocket in the Evil Lair finally took off on June 30, causing a giant rift to appear in the sky over the island.

Since the launch, the nature of the rift has remained a mystery, and more have begun cropping up in various areas around the map. In the days that followed the event, additional rifts have appeared at Lonely Lodge, Retail Row, Tomato Town, and other locations. Moreover, the rifts seem to be growing in size and consuming nearby objects; the rift at Lonely Lodge, for instance, was barely visible when it first materialized, but it has since expanded and even swallowed up the sign outside the building.

Just what these strange rifts mean for the future of Fortnite remain to be seen, but as was the case in the lead up to Season 4, they presumably herald some sort of big, impending change for the landscape. Prior to the start of Season 4, a comet suddenly appeared in the sky over the island. The comet remained in the air for several weeks until it eventually crashed into Dusty Depot at the start of Season 4, transforming it into Dusty Divot and introducing some brand-new elements to the map, such as gravity-defying Hop Rocks.

Season 5 may feature either a time-travel or Wild West theme; new objects have begun appearing around the map. That includes a stagecoach that popped up out of nowhere. It's anyone's guess as to what could be next, but we have some ideas for new Fortnite maps.

What New Season 5 Skins And Cosmetics Have Leaked?

Each season of Fortnite: Battle Royale brings an assortment of new items to unlock, and we can expect Epic to continue that trend by introducing a slew of new skins, emotes, and other cosmetic rewards to earn through the aforementioned Season 5 Battle Pass. The developer has yet to formally reveal any of the new items coming next season, although we've gotten a glimpse at some new contrails on the way to the game. The Fortnite: Battle Royale Leaks Twitter account has discovered several new trails in the game's code, including ones called Stars & Stripes, Glitchin', and Ice. These will presumably be available through the Season 5 Battle Pass.

Are Fortnite Objects Showing Up in Real Life?

It seems that way. Greasy Grove's Durr Burger is among the things to be sucked out of Fortnite's world by a rift, only for it to appear in the middle of a desert in California. That in turn led to a phone number players could call, and that's led to the discovery of coordinates for... Greasy Grove. It all remains very mysterious, but Epic is clearly going all-out with its teases for whatever is happening next in the game.

What's Going On With Playground Mode?

Like other limited-time modes in Fortnite, the sandbox-style Playground mode won't be available to play in Battle Royale for long. After finally arriving in the game recently following a series of delays, Epic has confirmed the mode is scheduled to leave the rotation on the same day that Season 5 begins: July 12. However, the developer says that it will use the feedback it gathered from players to further refine Playground mode and bring it back to the game in the future, although it hasn't revealed when that will be.

How Long Do I Have to Finish Season 4 Challenges?

Not much longer now. All of Season 4's weekly challenges will be available until the start of the new season on July 12, giving you only a few more days to level your Season 4 Battle Pass up and unlock any remaining rewards you've yet to earn.

Epic rolled out 10 weeks' worth of challenges throughout Season 4, the final set of which arrived on July 5. Each batch of challenges consists of seven different tasks for players to complete while playing Fortnite: Battle Royale, which can run the gamut from eliminating other players to opening a certain number of chests or following a series of cryptic clues to a specific location. Completing all of the challenges in a given week unlocks a corresponding Blockbuster challenge, while reaching certain level miletones unlocks a Carbide challenge and reward. You can see how to complete the latest set of tasks in our Week 10 challenges guide.

Despite the fact they're rolled out weekly, you have until the end of the season to complete any of the challenges. Doing so will level your Battle Pass and unlock rewards. There are a huge assortment to earn in Season 4, including sprays, loading screens, gliders, and the coveted Omega skin; you can see them all in our gallery of Season 4 Battle Pass rewards. If you need help clearing any remaining challenges, be sure to consult GameSpot's complete Season 4 challenges guide. If you're in a big hurry, we also have a guide detailing which challenges to do first and how to level up quickly.

What About Save the World Mode?

Like Battle Royale, Fortnite's Save the World mode is also set to receive some significant new content following the game's 5.0 update. Shortly after the update rolls out, Epic will kick off the first act of the Canny Valley campaign, which will take players "through the arid parts of the Fortnite world, with many new and unique places to explore."

According to Epic, the Canny Valley campaign will resolve many lingering questions about Dr. Vinderman and other characters. The developer says it will also re-introduce the Challenge the Horde mode with the 5.0 update, and this time it will feature reworked combat, mini-bosses, and new rewards. Save the World remains in paid early access, although it will eventually be playable for free to everyone, as with Battle Royale.