Fortnite’s new season removes building and adds Doctor Strange

A new season of Fortnite is upon us, and this one is a little... strange. Developer Epic Games is rolling out Chapter 3: Season 2 of the long-running battle royale, and it’s called Resistance; a story trailer (embedded above) features a number of opposing forces duking it out on the Fortnite island, along with a certain sorcerer from the Marvel universe.

Ahead of the season’s official announcement, Epic said that it would donate two weeks of its Fortnite proceeds to support Ukraine-related humanitarian efforts. This will last from March 20th through April 3rd.

The season makes a few big changes to the game. The most extreme is that, at least right now, building has been “wiped out,” removing one of the most distinct aspects of Fortnite play. To balance this out, players now have an additional shield — called an “overshield” — for defense. Other changes include a combination of faster sprinting and climbing that makes for parkour-like movement, the addition of blimps to explore and tanks to drive, as well as a handful of new guns. And if players donate enough gold over the course of the season, they will unlock a drivable version of the iconic battle bus, which now looks like something out of Mad Max.

In addition to the changes to the game and island, the new season’s battle pass also adds a handful of unlockable characters for those who purchase it. The most notable is Doctor Strange — who will be returning to theaters in May — and he’s joined by new faces with names like The Imagined and The Origin. For those who follow Fortnite’s ever-expanding lore, this season seems like it will be full of important details.

Season 2 follows an eventful start to the game’s latest chapter, which kicked off last December. The previous season introduced destructive weather, faster movement, and giant monsters, along with collaborations with everyone from Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak to Naomi Osaka. There was even a virtual art gallery for players to explore.