If you're wondering is Fortnite down, you've probably tried to connect for a session in the battle royale but found yourself stuck on the lobby screen, or perhaps not even made it that far due to problems. There may be error messages on screen saying that Fortnite servers not responding is the current issue, or there could be something else happening behind the scenes, but no matter what the reason is you're going to be frustrated because you can't get in. At the time of writing, Fortnite is down for scheduled maintenance, but this is usually just a quick break for the newest update to go live and won't take long to sort out, so you'll be dropping on the island again shortly.
Whether you're unable to connect, are getting specific Fortnite error codes, or have run into Fortnite scheduled downtime, we've got all of the details you need to know. Generally Epic's magnum opus is pretty stable when it comes to servers, but connection problems can still be an issue when it comes to Fortnite. That's why we've got the latest on the Fortnite servers laid out for you below.
Is Fortnite down?
At time of writing on January 31, the game services, login, matchmaking, and more are currently under maintenance, so the Fortnite servers are down. This is scheduled downtime to roll out the v23.30 update, so this should only be a temporary disruption lasting a few hours maximum, after which you'll be able to log on again and play as normal.
We're beginning to disable matchmaking in preparation for the v23.30 update, with server downtime beginning soon.We’ll let you know when downtime has ended! pic.twitter.com/l3wUySmJ34January 31, 2023
When there are issues, the main place to check for information is the @FortniteStatus (opens in new tab) Twitter feed, which details any current issues with gameplay or connectivity. It also confirms when scheduled downtime for maintenance is due to happen in advance, as well as when the Fortnite servers will be back up. Scheduled downtime normally takes place at 1am PT / 4am ET / 9am GMT and lasts for 2-3 hours on average, with timing aimed to minimise disruption.
Obviously, if you're trying to play the game and can't connect, then that's a good indication of the Fortnite servers not responding. Often you'll receive a message from the game's menu screen, confirming that a known issue is taking place, and this may even indicate a rough time when the Fortnite servers are coming back up. You can also visit the Epic Games Public Status (opens in new tab) site to see what Fortnite services are currently reporting as Operational and which have issues.
Finally, if you're still having issues with the game but there is nothing being reported by Epic, you can visit the Downdetector status page for Fortnite (opens in new tab) to see if other players are experiencing similar problems. If you see a sudden spike in reports coming in then you'll know you're not alone, and it's likely only a matter of time before official word is posted on the matter.
Most importantly, if you find out that Fortnite is down then don't panic! Server downtime in infrequent and usually lasts a couple of hours at most, so you shouldn't have to spend long asking when are the Fortnite servers coming back up and you'll be back to the battle royale in no time.
