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Fortnite Season 4 Adds A New Map, Dirt Bikes & More
Plus, a fresh battle pass lets you play as the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia or Doom Slayer from Doom and Doom Eternal.
After an explosive finale to the third chapter of Fortnite, a fresh season has arrived, with a completely new island for players to wage battle over.
The new map features a bunch of landmarks that draw inspiration from fantasy themes, including a castle dubbed “The Citadel” that’s home to “The Ageless Champion”, as well as “Anvil Square”, a medieval town surrounded by autumn foliage. On another part of the island, players can explore an abandoned farm with the ominous title of “The Frenzy Fields”.
As well as a scenic new map, chapter four of Fortnite introduces updated gameplay elements. Dirt bikes called Trail Thrashers allow players to perform stunts and tricks while firing their weapons from the saddle. When on foot, it’s now possible to vault over obstacles by sprinting into them, and you can also use a pickaxe to create a snowball which can be rolled over enemies.
One of the game’s most intriguing new elements is being dubbed Reality Augments, which lets you choose between two random buffs you can keep until your character dies, or you win a match.
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As for the behind-the-scenes technical updates, Epic has updated Fortnite to the newest version of Unreal Engine, and players on the latest platforms will now enjoy ray-traced reflections and other graphical improvements.
Finally, this season’s battle pass includes the ability to play as Doom Slayer, the protagonist of Doom and Doom Eternal, as well as Geralt of Rivia, the lead character from the Witcher. If you’re excited to get started on chapter four, season one of Fortnite, then you’ll be pleased to know the game is available to play right now.
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Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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