Fortnite v42.20 Downtime Starts at 8 AM UTC, With Servers Due Back by 9:30
Fortnite servers go down for the v42.20 update at 8 a.m. UTC (4 a.m. ET) on Thursday, 17 September, and Epic Games has scheduled the downtime to run until 9:30 a.m. UTC. Matchmaking switches off 30 minutes earlier, at 7:30 a.m. UTC, so no new Battle Royale, Reload or creative matches can start from that point on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, Switch 2 and mobile.
This is planned maintenance, not an outage. Epic posted the window on its official status page on Wednesday evening, and it lists every core service as affected: login, matchmaking, parties and messaging, voice chat, stats and leaderboards, the Item Shop and Fortnite Crew. If you cannot get into the game this morning, that is why.
When is Fortnite downtime for v42.20 in my time zone?
Epic gives the start in Eastern and UTC time only. Converted from those, the schedule looks like this:
- Matchmaking off: 7:30 a.m. UTC / 3:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 a.m. PT / 8:30 a.m. BST / 1 p.m. IST
- Servers down: 8 a.m. UTC / 4 a.m. ET / 1 a.m. PT / 9 a.m. BST / 1:30 p.m. IST
- Scheduled end: 9:30 a.m. UTC / 5:30 a.m. ET / 2:30 a.m. PT / 10:30 a.m. BST / 3 p.m. IST
Any match already running when the servers go offline will end without saving progress from that game, so avoid queueing for a long Battle Royale or Ranked match in the last half hour.
How long will Fortnite servers be down?
The scheduled window is 90 minutes, but the last two updates both ran long. Epic's own status history shows the v42.10 downtime on 3 September was booked for 8 to 9:30 a.m. UTC and was not marked complete until 10:44 a.m. UTC. The v42.00 season launch on 20 August was booked until 11 a.m. UTC and closed at 11:31 a.m.
A realistic expectation is that login returns some time between 9:30 and 11 a.m. UTC. Servers often come back in stages, with login working before matchmaking queues are fully open, so a "servers not responding" message just after the window closes usually clears within minutes.
Do I need to download the v42.20 update?
Yes. Once the servers are back, every platform needs the new build before it can connect. Consoles and the Epic Games Launcher on PC download it automatically if auto-updates are on. On Android and iPhone, open the app itself to trigger the download, since the patch is fetched from whichever store you installed Fortnite through. Epic has not published a file size for v42.20.
If you play on a phone with a controller, our guide on connecting a PS5 controller to Android covers pairing before you jump back in.
What is coming in the Fortnite v42.20 update?
Epic confirmed on 13 September that Sora from Kingdom Hearts arrives in Fortnite this week, and v42.20 is the only update scheduled in that window. Our earlier report on the Fortnite Sora skin and Kingdom Key pickaxe covers what Epic has shown so far. Epic had not published v42.20 patch notes at the time of writing.
Beyond that, most of what is circulating comes from files in the update build, which appeared on Xbox ahead of the patch. Epic has not confirmed any of the following:
- Riku, Kairi and Roxas outfits joining Sora in the Item Shop
- A refreshed Loot Hack weapon pool
- New Lobby Hack codes tied to Kingdom Hearts, PAC-MAN and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Around 40 new Sprites, including characters from other publishers' games
- PAC-MAN and Ironmouse Icon Series items as early as 18 September
Treat those as likely but unconfirmed until the patch notes or the Item Shop show them. The season's full crossover line-up is in our Chapter 7 Season 4 Override breakdown.
How to check if Fortnite is still down
Epic's status page is the reliable source, and it switches the maintenance entry to "completed" once services are restored. Epic also posts on its Fortnite status account on X when the update is live. If the status page says everything is operational and you still cannot log in, restart the game to force the patch download, then check your own connection.
For anything to play while you wait, our list of the best battle royale games on Android has a few alternatives that are not affected by today's maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fortnite down right now?
Fortnite has scheduled downtime for the v42.20 update on 17 September from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. UTC (4 to 5:30 a.m. ET). Matchmaking is disabled from 7:30 a.m. UTC. Check Epic Games' official status page to see whether the maintenance has been marked complete.
What time does Fortnite v42.20 come out?
The update goes live when downtime ends. Epic scheduled that for 9:30 a.m. UTC, which is 5:30 a.m. ET and 2:30 a.m. PT. The previous two updates ran past their scheduled window by 30 to 75 minutes, so it may be later.
How long is Fortnite downtime today?
Epic booked 90 minutes, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. UTC. The v42.10 update on 3 September was booked for the same window and finished at 10:44 a.m. UTC, so plan for up to about three hours from the start.
Is the Sora skin in Fortnite v42.20?
Epic confirmed on 13 September that Sora arrives in Fortnite this week, and v42.20 on 17 September is the only update scheduled in that week. The exact time the skin appears in the Item Shop and its V-Bucks price have not been announced.
How big is the Fortnite v42.20 update?
Epic has not published a download size for v42.20. The update is required on every platform before you can log in again, so open the game on your console, PC or phone once servers are back to start the download.
