Fortnite Server Status: Fortnitemares v36.10 Downtime Schedule
Epic Games is taking Fortnite offline for the v36.10 Fortnitemares update. Find out when matchmaking shuts down and when the servers will return.
Spooky season has officially arrived on the battle royale island. Epic Games is preparing to take Fortnite offline early Saturday morning, October 3, 2026, to deploy the highly anticipated v36.10 update. This patch marks the return of Fortnitemares, the game’s signature Halloween event.
If you are planning an early morning gaming session, you will need to adjust your plans. Here is a breakdown of when the servers will go dark, how long they will remain offline, and what you can expect when they return.
When Does Fortnite Matchmaking Go Offline?
Epic Games will begin disabling matchmaking at 3:30 AM Eastern Time (ET) on October 3.
This is standard practice for Fortnite updates. By shutting off matchmaking thirty minutes early, Epic ensures that active matches can wrap up naturally before the entire server structure goes dark. If you are in the middle of a battle royale match at 3:30 AM, you can finish your game. Just do not expect to start a new one.
Fortnite v36.10 Downtime Start and End Times
The actual server downtime starts at 4:00 AM ET (1:00 AM PT / 8:00 AM UTC). At this exact moment, everyone still logged into the game will be disconnected.
How long will the wait be? Major seasonal updates like Fortnitemares usually take longer to deploy than standard weekly maintenance patches. Epic has to swap out map assets, introduce new gameplay mechanics, and load the item shop with a massive batch of seasonal cosmetics.
Expect the servers to remain down for at least two to three hours. If everything goes smoothly, the game should be back online around 6:30 AM or 7:00 AM ET. However, major updates can sometimes hit unexpected speed bumps. If technical issues crop up during the database updates, the downtime could stretch into the late morning.
What is Coming in the Fortnitemares v36.10 Update?
This is the moment horror fans have been waiting for. Fortnitemares always shakes up the standard gameplay loop with eerie additions.
While Epic keeps official patch notes under lock and key, we already have a good idea of what to expect based on previous years and early teasers.
- Spooky Weapons: Classic items like the Pumpkin Launcher and the Wood Stake Shotgun are expected to return from the vault.
- Witch Brooms: These high-mobility items will likely be scattered across the island, allowing you to soar through the skies to escape sticky situations.
- Map Changes: Expect thick fog, creepy decorations at major points of interest, and haunted areas featuring jump scares or unique monsters.
- Horde Rush: The popular cooperative game mode, where players team up to fight off waves of Cube Monsters, is highly rumored to make its return.
We will also see a fresh batch of Halloween-themed skins. Dataminers will be busy sorting through the new game files the second the patch becomes available for download. Expect leaks of upcoming collaborative skins, spooky variants of iconic Fortnite characters, and new emotes to surface online while the servers are still undergoing maintenance.
How to Prepare for the Update
Because this is a major update, the patch file size will be quite large. It is smart to turn on auto-updates on your console or PC launcher before you go to sleep.
Once Epic pushes the update to platforms like PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC, your system will start downloading it automatically. This saves you from staring at a slow download bar when the servers finally come back online.
Also, brace yourself for potential login queues. When a major update finishes, tens of thousands of players attempt to log in simultaneously. If you see a waiting screen, just stay patient and let the timer run its course.
