Fortnite's 39.40 update rolls out on February 5, 2026, bringing a substantial refresh to Chapter 7 Season 1. The patch introduces the annual Valentine's Day event alongside multiple character collaborations, weapon rebalancing, and story developments tied to the Seven faction.
Quick answer: The update goes live at 4:00 AM ET on February 5, following server maintenance.
Release time: February 5, 2026 at 4:00 AM PT / 7:00 AM ET
New Skins and Collaborations
The update brings a wave of character crossovers. Chappell Roan joins as the headliner for Fortnite Festival Season 13, replacing Lisa. She arrives with two distinct outfits: one inspired by her 2024 VMA Medieval Knight Armor look and another featuring a Pink Pony Club cowboy hat aesthetic. A Pink Pony Club Sidekick and Chappell Roan-themed instruments round out the Festival content.
Marvel Rivals Wave 2 introduces Luna Snow and Magik, both sporting their hero shooter appearances rather than comic book designs. Luna Snow includes a potential Jam Track, while Magik's Soulsword may appear as a back bling, pickaxe, or both.
K-Pop Demon Hunters returns with a second wave featuring Jinu and the Saja Boys from the Netflix film. Derpy joins the Sidekick roster alongside these skins. The collaboration also unvaults the K-Pop Demon Hunters Mythic weapons, adding them back to the Chapter 7 Season 1 loot pool.
A Valentine's Day event skin also arrives, completing the romance-themed cosmetics for the season.
Weapon Balance and Item Changes
Multiple weapons receive buffs to rebalance the loot pool. The Tactical Assault Rifle and Enforcer AR gain increased damage. SMGs—the Holo Rush, Flex, and Dual Micro variants—see damage increases, larger magazines, and faster handling. The Tactical Pistol improves with higher damage, better range, and quicker aim-down-sights speed. The Sovereign Shotgun fires faster when aiming down sights, and the Stealth Splash grenade extends its effect duration while allowing larger stacks. The All-Terrain-Kart receives a health boost.
Shockwave Grenades return to the game after being vaulted. Crash Pad Jrs. exit the loot pool again, along with Kenny's Respawn Token, Cheesy Poofs, and the Stick of Truth. A Self-Revive Item unvaults alongside the grenades.
Cupid's Crossbow makes its annual return as a Valentine's Day staple, though it remains largely ornamental in combat.
Story and Map Updates
The Foundation returns as an NPC, signaling the Seven faction's comeback to the narrative. His MK7 Assault Rifle unvaults alongside his appearance, setting up a gradual reintroduction of the faction's members. The Dark Voyager continues holding The Order in captivity, driving the ongoing storyline.
New weekly quests tie to Jonesy and the Dark Voyager conflict, allowing players to progress the Pacific Break Battle Pass more quickly.
The South Park collaboration concludes with this update. The South Park Mini Pass titled "Born in Chaos" ends, removing cosmetics like the Imaginationland Airship Glider and Terrance and Phillip Pickaxe from availability. South Park skins depart the Item Shop. The Cartmanland POI's fate remains unconfirmed.
Server Downtime
Expect 1–2 hours of server maintenance beginning at 4:00 AM ET. Matchmaking services and all playlists will be disabled during this window. The update typically completes within that timeframe, though exact duration may vary.
