Fortnite Chapter 5 season 2 countdown: Exact start time and release date

A new season approaches, thank the Greek gods.

A screenshot of an angel character flying on a purple sky with a constellation on her wings.
Image by Epic Games

As Fortnite Chapter Five, season two gears up to immerse players in the mythological world of Greek gods, anticipation is skyrocketing. This new twist to the battle royale was set to start early on March 8, but will instead be live at 9pm CT following a massive unexpected issue.

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Epic Games has confirmed Fortnite version v29.00 will take longer than expected to release due to additional updates, so server downtime for Chapter Five, season two will last until 9pm CT, based on an updated message since there will only be a pre-download deployed then.

What times does Fortnite Chapter 5 season 2 update launch?

Hades in Fortnite.
Are you ready for the next season? Image via Epic Games

Epic announced that Fortnite Chapter Five, season two will launch on March 8, as seen in the game’s News section. Based on past updates, the release was expected to happen between 1am and 6am CT, with downtime starting at 1am and the game likely going live with the new season by 5am. But due to technical issues, this time has been extended twice until at least 9pm CT.

Tip:

Chapter Five, Season Two of Fortnite is now live. Be aware that long queue times may be encountered as you log on to the servers. Ensure you have restarted the game and downloaded the update!

The season’s theme revolves around Greek gods, a concept Epic has hinted at on the game’s official X (formerly Twitter) account since March 4. But even before that, a unique live event occurred on March 3, where players unlocked a large box chained to a giant hand emerging from the ground that resembles Pandora’s Box, suggesting the introduction of godly powers into Fortnite’s universe.

The images Epic has been posting are probably previews of new battle pass skins for Chapter Five season two, though the company has yet to confirm that.

Expected content coming to Fortnite Chapter 5 season 2

Constellations teaser for Fortnite Chapter five season two
Eight constellations, eight characters? Image via Epic Games

In the upcoming Fortnite season, Greek god skins are almost certain to appear. From the constellations seen in Pandora’s Box, it looks like we’ll get eight skins: Zeus, Cerberus, Hades, Aphrodite, Poseidon, Medusa, Artemis, and Ares. Some, like Zeus and Hades, were hinted at in recent Epic tweets.

Early Fortnite leaks by iFireMonkey, HYPEX, and ShiinaBR also point to potential new collaboration skins for Chapter Five, season two based on information from the game files and previous surveys sent to players. While Epic Games hasn’t confirmed these leaks, the evidence suggests these are the ones that might be coming:

  • Avatar: The Last Airbender
  • Jujutsu Kaisen
  • Young Kratos from the God of War series

On the teasers front, Mark Rein, the vice president of Epic Games, summed up Fortnite Chapter Five, season two with the word “wings.” What this means isn’t clear yet—it could hint at a new type of cosmetic or perhaps an item that lets players fly across the map.

We will update this story once new information becomes available.

Author
Image of Bhernardo Viana
Bhernardo Viana
Bhernardo is senior guides writer and strategist at Dot Esports. He's been working in the gaming industry for over 9 years, with works published on Destructoid, Prima Games, ESPN, and more. A fan of Pokémon since 6 years old and an avid Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch player. Now writing strategy and quests guides for several mobile and PC titles.
Author
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Scott Duwe
Senior Staff Writer & Call of Duty lead. Professional writer for over 10 years. Lover of all things Marvel, Destiny 2, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and more. Previous bylines include PC Gamer, Red Bull Esports, Fanbyte, and Esports Nation. DogDad to corgis Yogi and Mickey, sports fan (NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Rangers, NY Knicks), Paramore fanatic, cardio enthusiast.