When Does Fortnite Downtime Start?

Fortnite is once again set to enter a state of downtime while the developers work on adding Chapter 5 Season 1 into the game. While fans were a bit disappointed with the conclusion of the OG season due to the hiccups that occurred during the Big Bang event, Epic Games has made up for it with a rerun of the event alongside a plethora of rewards as compensation.

The insanely successful “OG” Season which brought a storm of players old and new has finally come to its fitting conclusion, and Epic is now gearing up for an even bigger and better Fortnite season with the release of Chapter 5 Season 1. Like most downtimes, matchmaking will be disabled during maintenance, and the season’s Battle Pass will be lost. But, when does the Fortnite downtime start?

Updated December 3, 2023, by Md Armughanuddin: This article has been updated to include the maintenance schedule for the launch of Chapter 5 Season 1. By reading on, fans of the game can find out when maintenance is scheduled to start and also get a reasonable idea of when the current Fortnite downtime is likely to end.

When Does Fortnite Downtime Start?

Starting on December 2nd, around 11:15 AM EST, Fortnite will enter a state of downtime for v28.00. This will happen right after the second rerun of the Big Bang event, which is around 15 minutes in length.

Here’s a list of the Fortnite downtime for each timezone:

When Does Fortnite Downtime End?

The downtime is usually an annoying phase for players, who often wonder when the Fortnite servers will be back up. Sadly, there is no definitive answer, but Fortnite downtime usually lasts between 5 and 7 hours. The past couple of seasons have had their downtime anywhere from 7 AM to 8 PM (ET). This means that players can expect to jump back into Fortnite Island at around these times for their local timezone:

It’s important to note that this is just an estimate. Times may vary a little depending on the server traffic, as players might be queuing for a while depending on how many players are trying to get into Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 1. The end of downtime also doesn’t necessarily mean that the servers are back online.

Fortnite v28.00 Patch Notes Summary

After going back to its roots, Epic Games is bringing some significant changes to the meta starting with Chapter 5 Season 1. There is plenty to look forward to in the update, ranging from a new train vehicle, a weapon modding mechanic, wall clambering, an all-new grappler, a shield, and tons of other stuff. It will be interesting to see what other surprises Epic Games has in store for fans when the servers go live.

Fortnite

Developer(s)

Epic Games

Publisher(s)

Epic Games

Platform(s)

PC, iOS, Mobile, Xbox One, Android, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch

Released

July 25, 2017