A new era of Fortnite begins this week as fans gear up for the official release of Chapter 3 Season 2.

Unfortunately, similar to the launch of previous Fortnite seasons, fans can expect there to be some lengthy server downtime before we all get to jump into the brand new update. So, whilst you wait for the servers to come back online, here's everything we know surrounding the release time and maintenance schedule for Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2.

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Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 Release Date and Start Time

UPDATE: According to iFireMonkey, a reliable leaker when it comes to all things Fortnite, The Chapter 3 Season 2 downtime could be set to end at 9AM ET / 1PM GMT. This is when the new lobby background is set to activate according to the in-game files.

ORIGINAL STORY: According to the official Fortnite Status Twitter account, Chapter 3 Season 2 will release on Sunday, March 20th, 2022. Similar to the launch of previous seasons and updates, there will be a short period of server downtime beginning at 12AM PT / 3AM ET / 7AM GMT.

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Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 Server Downtime Schedule

As mentioned by the Fortnite Status Twitter account, fans can expect server downtime to begin at 12AM PT / 3AM ET / 7AM GMT, with matchmaking being disabled 30 minutes prior to the downtime.

Although not officially detailed by Epic Games, fans can likely expect the downtime to last for around 2 to 3 hours on March 20th. During this time, players will be unable to play Fortnite whilst routine maintenance is conducted.

Following the server downtime, a new patch will be deployed on all supported platforms. Once downtime has commenced and the new patch installed, Chapter 3 Season 2 will officially be live. Fans can expect the release of Chapter 3 Season 2 to be filled with a new Battle Pass, map changes, new skins, and plenty more.

Make sure to check back into DualShockers for the full Season 2 patch notes once they are released tomorrow.