Fortnite has consistently woven intricate lore and engaging challenges into its gameplay, with the "Ancient Astronaut" theme being a notable example. This theme, primarily centered around a mysterious crashed spaceship, not only provides players with rewarding secret challenges but also hints at deeper narrative developments within the Fortnite universe. The Ancient Astronaut challenges, introduced in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3, offered players a substantial reward of 54,000 XP upon completion, significantly aiding in their progression through the Season 3 Battle Pass and the unlocking of specific skins like Siona.
The Ancient Ship and Its Components
The core of the Ancient Astronaut secret challenges revolves around a crashed Ancient Ship. This enigmatic vessel is located in the E1 quadrant of the Fortnite map, situated north-east of Craggy Cliffs. To initiate the challenges, players must first locate the ship, which rests on a small, detached sand dune off the main shore.
The challenges require players to find and retrieve three key components of the ship: a battery pack, a heat shield, and a thruster. Each component is hidden in a specific, discoverable location:
- Battery Pack: Found in a small pool of water directly east of the Ancient Ship, hidden beneath a destroyable stone.
- Heat Shield: Located on the beach east of the Ancient Ship, near three large rocks. It can be found by destroying the rock at the bottom of the hill leading off the beach, or sticking out of the sand if the rock has already been destroyed.
- Thruster: Stuck in the cliff face south of the Ancient Ship. Players will notice a green glow emanating from its location. Reaching it requires building stairs and platforms, necessitating the gathering of materials from surrounding stones.
Completing the Ancient Astronaut Challenge
Once all three missing parts are collected, players must return them to the Ancient Ship. The final step involves placing the recovered components onto the ship. After successfully returning the parts, a prompt will appear to initiate a "Challenge Event." This event gives players 60 seconds to defend the Ancient Ship from other players who may attempt to cancel a countdown timer. Successfully protecting the ship until the countdown concludes results in its launch and a reward of 25,000 XP. Following the launch, rifts similar to those from Chapter 1 Season 10 appear near the ship's original location, allowing players to gain altitude and glide away.
The Ancient Astronaut challenges not only provided players with valuable XP but also served as a narrative device, hinting at ongoing storylines and potential future content within Fortnite. The appearance of the Ancient Ship and its subsequent launch suggested a connection to characters and events that would unfold in subsequent seasons.
Siona and the Space-Themed Cosmetics
The lore surrounding the Ancient Astronaut is closely tied to the character of Siona, a female astronaut outfit available in Chapter 2 Season 3. Described as "a wanderer in a lost world," Siona becomes unlockable at Level 80 of the Battle Pass. Her design, featuring different outfit colors, allows players to embody an astronaut. Furthermore, Siona's potential role in the unfolding narrative has been a subject of much speculation among players, with many believing she is connected to the events involving the Ancient Ship.
Beyond Siona, Fortnite has a rich history of incorporating space-themed cosmetics and events. These include:
- Deo: An astronaut character who appeared in the Fortnite Item Shop, featuring a spacesuit that bore a resemblance to Siona's. He came with associated cosmetics like the Lunar Sim backbling, Starcross glider, and Homescape wrap.
- Battle Pass Items: Various space-themed items have been integrated into Battle Passes, such as the "Comet Crasher" glider (Level 90), "Planetary Vibe" dance (Level 84), and Mini-Moon back bling (Level 77). Contrails like Stardrop (Level 43) and Photon (Level 66) also added to the cosmic theme.
- Free Cosmetics: Epic Games has occasionally offered free space-themed items, like the Shooting Starstaff Pickaxe, given to all active players on August 13, 2020.
- Galaxy Cup: A mid-season event that offered players a chance to earn the exclusive Galaxy Scout outfit and other gear. The Galaxy Scout set was later made available in the Item Shop for a limited time.
- "Astronomical" Concert: An in-game concert featuring Travis Scott, which allowed players to fly above Earth, witness auroras, and view astronaut outfits.
- Item Shop Entries: Periodic appearances of space-themed outfits like Astra (constellation outfit) and associated wraps.
Highlight: Travis Scott's Astronomical Concert Fortnite Show 2
Fortnite's Expanding Universe and Lore
Fortnite's commitment to expanding its lore and offering diverse experiences extends beyond combat. The game has evolved to include concerts, movies, and a creative mode, appealing to a wider audience. The introduction of space-themed elements, including ancient astronauts and spaceships, caters to players with an interest in science fiction and exploration. Even the game's island has lore-rich names, with the Chapter 2 island being named Apollo, likely a nod to mythology, and the Chapter 1 island named Athena.
The presence of Marauders emerging from a rift in the sky and landing their space capsule to attack players further reinforces the ongoing space narrative. Additionally, secret quests involving the Coral Buddies, who progress through different ages of civilization, suggest broader themes of evolution and discovery that could tie into a larger cosmic story.
While Fortnite has not fully "gone to space" in terms of entirely new maps or explicit alien invasions, the consistent integration of space-themed content, from character skins to in-game events and narrative hints, suggests a deliberate effort to explore these themes. Players are left to speculate about future developments, such as the possibility of interdimensional travel, alien encounters, or entirely new space-faring narratives shaping the Fortnite island.