Details of Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 5 map leaks ahead of time

Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 is due to begin in four short days, but data miners, as inquisitive as they are, have managed to find files related to Season 5. While these files don't say much, they do raise a lot of questions.

If any speculations were to be made, it seems that a brand new map will present itself soon. However, this is a bit puzzling as the island flipped over just a few months ago. Here's everything there is to know about "Asteria" ahead of Season 5.

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Fortnite may be getting a brand new map in Chapter 3 Season 5

According to leaker GMatrixGames, Epic Games has left a paper trail for a new map in-game. When first discovered, it was originally called "S23 Test (Asteria)." However, over a period of time, the name of this file has been changed completely.

From the original naming scheme, it was changed to "S23 Test (Artemis - do not use)" to finally be called "S23 Test Map (test - do not use)." Based on this file, it seems that the developers might be working on a new map for Chapter 3 Season 5.

As per GMatrixGames' statement:

"Epic has been updating the future season's Epic Games launch options for testing, and they included these."

Given that the maps follow a specific naming pattern, Asteria fits perfectly into place. That being said, there's not a lot of information to go on as of yet.

Aside from Epic updating the files, there's no visual representation for the same. Knowing how the developers enjoy throwing data miners off track, this may be another of those situations where they name something to mean something else entirely. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that Epic is indeed up to something.

On the flip side, others are speculating that these files could pertain to the upcoming Creative 2.0. However, given that the new Creative mode is already confirmed in the files as "Valkyrie," it's unlikely that Asteria has anything to do with the creative side of Fortnite.

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Why will Fortnite's map change so soon?

It was initially thought that the game would feature ten seasons before a new map could be introduced. This is based on the ending of Chapter 1 Season X, but that all changed when Chapter 2 ended with Season 8.

Coming to Chapter 3, while it's highly unlikely that things will end in Season 5, the map change does make some sense. With the theme of the upcoming season being Chrome and it consuming the entire island, by the time the season ends, there may be nothing left of the island.

Much like the corruption that consumed the island in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 8, something similar may happen again. Considering this, introducing a map that will be free of Chrome makes a lot of sense. The only question remains, "How will the map change?"

At present, there are two ways in which the map could change. The first would be The Zero Point teleporting everyone to a new reality, while the second would involve flipping the island back over. Both of these hypotheses are plausible to an extent.

Considering that Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War ties into the storyline of the island as well, The Zero Point theory is the most likely candidate. On that note, flipping the island over once more makes sense as well. Since the Cube Queen was vanquished, it may be possible that the corruption on the flip side of the island has now faded, making it habitable once again.

While speculation is rife, what transpires in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 remains to be seen. Based on how the storyline pans out, a clearer picture as to why a new map may or may not come into play will emerge.