Fortnite players are temporarily locked out of the game as Epic Games rolls out the highly anticipated Chapter 7 Season 2: Showdown update. The servers officially went offline at 2 a.m. ET on March 19, with matchmaking ending shortly before maintenance began. The downtime is part of the launch process for version 40.00, which is expected to bring one of the biggest shake-ups of the year.
For most seasonal Fortnite updates, servers return within two to three hours, though delays have happened before when larger content changes are involved. Players waiting for the game to come back online can follow live updates on the Epic Games server status page.
Chapter 7 Season 2 introduces a major crossover push
The new season, branded as Showdown, is expected to lean heavily into rivalries, character clashes, and large-scale action. One of the biggest talking points is the return of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as The Foundation, a character who has not appeared in a major way since 2022. Teasers released ahead of launch strongly hinted at his comeback, building speculation across the Fortnite community.
Fortnite is also expanding its crossover lineup with the reported arrival of Looney Tunes characters. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Lola Bunny are all expected to join the island, adding another pop-culture layer to a season already packed with recognizable names.
Marvel content is also set to remain a major part of the new update. Trailers have shown Captain America appearing in a frozen state linked to the returning Ice King, while Iron Man is also set to return. The combination of comic-book characters, animated icons and Fortnite originals suggests Epic is once again aiming for a season built around spectacle.
V-Bucks prices rise as Battle Pass cost drops
One of the biggest non-gameplay changes this season is the new pricing structure for V-Bucks. Epic Games has confirmed that Fortnite’s in-game currency will now cost more, with increases ranging from 8% to 20% depending on the purchase amount.
That move is likely to draw attention from regular players who buy currency throughout each season. At the same time, Epic has also lowered the cost of the Battle Pass, cutting it from 1,000 V-Bucks to 800 V-Bucks. That reduction softens the impact slightly for players who mainly spend currency on seasonal progression rather than cosmetics.
Save the World becomes free next month
Another notable change is arriving shortly after the new season begins. Epic has announced that Save the World, the original Fortnite cooperative survival mode, will become free for everyone on April 16.
That is a significant shift for longtime fans, as Save the World was one of the earliest parts of Fortnite before Battle Royale became the global phenomenon that reshaped the game’s future. Making it free opens the mode to a wider audience and gives newer players a chance to explore Fortnite’s earlier identity.
Showdown launch adds more than a routine seasonal reset
Chapter 7 Season 2 looks set to deliver more than a standard map refresh or cosmetic update. Between The Foundation’s return, the arrival of Looney Tunes characters, Marvel tie-ins, V-Bucks price changes and the upcoming free release of Save the World, Epic is positioning Showdown as a season built around scale and attention-grabbing moments.
Once servers return, players will be able to see whether the new content lives up to the early hype. For now, the temporary downtime is simply the first step in one of Fortnite’s biggest rollouts of the year.
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