Fortnite Is Down Again – But That’s Just How This Game Works

If you tried logging into Fortnite today and got hit with a looping screen or the dreaded “Fortnite servers not responding” message, relax—you’re not alone, and it’s not just you. It’s downtime day.

Fortnite is officially down on May 16 as Epic rolls out its v35.10 Galactic Battle update for Chapter 6, Season 3. This is planned maintenance, not a surprise crash, so it’s nothing new if you’ve been in the loop for a while. For everyone else stuck on the menu screen, yes, it’s annoying, but also totally normal.

Fortnite going down isn't a bug. It’s tradition.

Every major season update, crossover, or event drop starts with Epic shutting down the servers worldwide for a few hours. It’s like a digital ritual. One moment, you’re doing quests in Mega City; the next, you’re staring at a loading screen, waiting for the next battle pass to drop.

And the weird part? These downtimes are almost iconic at this point.

Let’s not forget The Black Hole event in 2019, when Epic literally deleted the game for almost two days to build hype for Chapter 2. People lost it—Reddit threads, livestreams, conspiracy theories. No one does a takedown quite like Epic.

According to @FortniteStatus and Epic’s own Public Status page, all game services will be offline early May 16, starting around:

• 1am PDT
• 4am EDT
• 9am BST

That includes login, matchmaking, party systems—everything. Estimated downtime is 2 to 3 hours, meaning you can probably get back in before breakfast (unless Epic delays things, which happens more often than not).

This downtime is to prep the servers for Season 3 of Chapter 6, a Galactic Battle theme filled with Star Wars content, including Chewbacca and his Wookiee Bowcaster. You’re not missing much right now unless you really enjoy staring at a countdown timer.

Table of Notorious Game Downtimes:

What You Can Do While Waiting:

This is where Fortnite downtime usually tests players' loyalty. But you’ve got options:

• Check @FortniteStatus on Twitter for live update
• Visit status.epicgames.com to monitor all Epic services
• Use Downdetector to confirm you’re not the only one losing connection
• Link your Epic + MyDisney accounts to unlock a free First Order Stormtrooper skin (yes, that’s a thing right now)

It might be a good excuse to finally take a break. Go outside. Drink some water. Touch grass. Epic’s not reinventing the wheel during this update—just polishing it.

"Is Fortnite down again? Yep. Will you be back the second it's live? Also yep."

While other studios avoid server shutdowns like the plague, Epic leans into them. Every Fortnite update feels like an event because they make it feel like one. There’s anticipation, confusion, memes, and everyone rushing in the second it’s back online.

That’s part of why Fortnite’s stayed relevant for over six years. The downtime isn’t a bug—it’s a feature. It signals the beginning of a new cycle. New cosmetics, new weapons, new quests, and yes—more Star Wars skins.

Compare that to most live-service games, where a patch just drops and no one even notices until something breaks. Fortnite’s approach makes the whole player base watch the clock.

• Fortnite is down on May 16 for a few hours
• It’s a scheduled update for Galactic Battle Season 3
• Servers typically go down at 1am PDT and are back within 2–3 hours
• Follow @FortniteStatus for the all-clear
• This is totally normal, and kind of a Fortnite tradition

So don’t panic. Just wait it out. You'll be back in soon enough, swinging lightsabers and unlocking battle pass tiers like nothing happened.