Fortnite went offline right after the Shattered live event to make way for Chapter 7 Season 3, nicknamed Runners. The v41.00 patch swaps in a new Battle Pass, reworks a huge chunk of the island, and brings John Wick back into the game. While that work happens, matchmaking and every mode stay locked, which is why the lobby refuses to load.
Quick answer: Fortnite servers are expected back at 1 AM ET on June 6, 2026 (10 PM PT on June 5), once the v41.00 Runners deployment finishes without issues.
Release time: June 6, 2026 at 1:00 AM ET (10:00 PM PT, June 5)
When Fortnite downtime began for Chapter 7 Season 3
The shutdown started on June 5, 2026 at 7:30 PM ET, immediately following the 7 PM Shattered finale that closed out Chapter 7 Season 2. Matchmaking was switched off roughly 30 minutes earlier, so players were pushed out of queues before the servers fully went dark. On PC, the Epic Games Launcher shows a "Server Offline" note under the Fortnite tile during this window.
Here is when downtime kicked off across major regions.
| Region / time zone | Downtime start |
|---|---|
| US Pacific | 4:30 PM PDT (June 5) |
| US Mountain | 5:30 PM MDT (June 5) |
| US Central | 6:30 PM CT (June 5) |
| US East | 7:30 PM ET (June 5) |
| United Kingdom | 12:30 AM BST (June 6) |
| Europe | 1:30 AM CEST (June 6) |
| Middle East | 3:30 AM GST (June 6) |
| India | 5:00 AM IST (June 6) |
| Japan | 8:30 AM JST (June 6) |
| Australia | 9:30 AM AEST (June 6) |
| New Zealand | 11:30 AM NZST (June 6) |
How long Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 downtime lasts
Plan for around five to six hours of maintenance. Season launches always run longer than mid-season patches because Epic ships the new Battle Pass, the reworked map, and fresh weapons all at once. Mid-season updates usually wrap in two to three hours, but a full seasonal rollout sits at the higher end.
That target is an estimate, not a promise. If a bug or deployment snag appears during testing, the window can stretch past the planned time. Keep an eye on Fortnite's status updates if 1 AM ET passes and the game is still down.
When Fortnite servers come back up
The servers are scheduled to return at 1 AM ET on June 6, 2026, which lines up with 10 PM PT on June 5. That timing also gives players across Europe most of the day to jump in, which has not always been the case with past season launches. You'll know the maintenance is finished when the "Server Offline" message in the Epic Games Launcher clears and you can log in.
Tip: Download the v41.00 update while you wait so you can drop straight into a match the moment matchmaking switches back on. The patch is large, and finishing the install ahead of time avoids extra delay at launch.
What the Runners update adds
Chapter 7 Season 3 brings the biggest mid-chapter island makeover the game has had, so expect large parts of the map to look unfamiliar when you land. The headline cosmetic is a fresh John Wick skin, this time with his dog as a back bling companion, plus the return of Dr. Slone. The Battle Pass lineup includes Heatwve PJ, Cluster, Dylan, The Guardian, Wick, The Voidblade, Vanguard Slone, and Wolfe, along with collectible Sprites built with Mech-tech bodies.
Chapter 7 Season 2, the Showdown season, ran from March 19 through the Shattered event, capping its story with the clash between the Ice King and Dwayne "The Foundation" Johnson before handing off to Runners.
For now, the move is simple. Pre-load the patch, watch for the "Server Offline" tag to disappear, and you'll be in the new season as soon as Epic flips the switch.