Is Fortnite down? Server downtime schedule as players await major changes to fan-favorite game

Fortnite is bracing for a longer downtime than anticipated , but it's all in preparation for a colossal update.

The latest season of Fortnite, Chapter 5 Season 4, is about to kick off and it's packed with content on the newly Doom-ified island. Since the start of Chapter 5 Season 3, players have been eagerly awaiting changes to the Fortnite island, with many expressing frustration over its car mechanics, culminating in an unrequested Tesla Cybertruck collaboration.

It's been a challenging season for many, but the prospect of new weapons, skins, and areas to explore in the upcoming season dubbed Absolute Doom is keeping spirits high.

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Epic Games has announced impending downtime, and once it's over, Fortnite enthusiasts will be able to dive into the new Marvel-themed content and the mayhem it'll bring to the island. Here's what you need to know about the downtime for Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 4.

Epic Games has confirmed that server downtime ahead of the launch of Chapter 5 Season 4 will commence at 8pm PDT / 11pm EDT today, or 4am BST on Friday, August 16. The game's matchmaking will be disabled shortly before then, allowing players in active games to wrap up their sessions.

The Fortnite Status website has announced that the rollout of update v31.00 will require an extended downtime, with servers potentially offline until 1am PDT / 4am EDT / 9am BST on Friday, August 16. The site also warns that this update's file sizes will be larger than usual, a potential annoyance for Xbox players who have recently grappled with bloated file sizes.

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 4 is set to bring a wealth of new content. Early glimpses of the upcoming season are promising, as Fortnite prepares to revisit a dedicated Marvel season for the first time since Chapter 2 Season 4's Nexus War.

The brand new Chapter 5 Season 4 battle pass is teeming with familiar faces. Here's what we can anticipate from the new season:.

From this season onwards, battle pass exclusivity will cease - Epic has disclosed that skins from future battle passes could show up in the item shop as soon as 18 months after their initial debut, forever altering the concept of skin rarity. Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 4 promises to be a significant one, so let's hope the downtime doesn't exceed its estimated duration.

After all, we've got skins to earn.