Fortnite's next major title update is finally here and there's so much to look out for in the lead up to the end-of-season Event Playlist - which might throw us head first into Chapter 3 Season 1! Here's the latest...
LATEST - Downtime is over!
Fortnite 18.40 has officially started and Naruto is available in the Item Store.
The BRUTE Mech is also on the way - with a vote currently going on - and there's a new Mythic Kunai weapon for you to get your hands on. The Convergence is becoming a Cube Pyramid and The End is nigh... It's a good time to be a Fortnite fan.
SERVERS - Downtime for Fortnite begins
As expected, the servers are currently down for Fortnite's 18.40 Update. These could be down for half an hour or several hours. It's hard to tell nowadays and Epic Games isn't the most consistent with these things.
It's worth keeping an eye on Fortnite Status for more information, either way.
NARUTO REVEAL - What we know
It looks like Naruto - the worst kept secret in gaming, recently - is coming to Fortnite with Update 18.40 and there's a new trailer waiting to be broadcast. You can check out the YouTube premiere below, which has the trailer due to be released at the following times:
- 01:00 November 16th PST
- 04:00 November 16th EST
- 09:00 November 16th GMT
Naruto is due to join Fortnite alongside Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura - each with a unique Back Bling.
One Feature Leaked
If you're sitting there expecting the Fortnite 18.40 update, we have some good and bad news. It won't be arriving until Tuesday, 16 November meaning a slightly longer wait.
The good news is we know at least one change happening as part of the update. The Creative AFK XP farming will be cut by Epic. They've caught on to people who simply stand around in creative lobbies and game modes so are implementing a kick system to prevent any XP being earned.
We might not be seeing too much in the way of events, but that will change soon.
Will 18.40 be Season 8's Final Update?
With the delay of Fortnite Update 18.40, it's starting to circulate that Epic has also cancelled a potential 18.50 update. This would mean that only hotfixes would take place between 18.40 and the end of the season.
This three week gap between updates has forced 18.50 to rotate out of plans as it would drop the same week that Season 8 ends.
Update Not Happening This Week
It appears that Fortnite Update 18.40 will NOT be arriving this week as it's still yet to appear on the staging servers. This means that the release date is likely to be Tuesday, 16 November instead.
It's also being revealed that there are no plans for Update 18.50 to drop meaning the next update will be the last one this season.
Fortnite Update 18.40 Release Date & Time
We're expecting Fortnite Update 18.40 to arrive on Tuesday, 9 November. Given that it's a major update, server downtime is guaranteed and will likely start at 09:00 BST / 04:00 EST / 01:00 PST.
It's entirely possible that this update may not happen until Tuesday, 16 November as there hasn't been the usual confirmation of the update being on the staging servers. When an update is placed on staging servers, it's a solid guarantee that it will release the following week barring something unforeseen.
Is Chapter 3 Next?
Rumours and leaks are running wild with suggestions that Fortnite Chapter 3 will begin following the conclusion of Season 8. Adding fuel to the fire is Donald Mustard - as he likes to do - by changing his Twitter header and Bio which is usually a sure sign that something big is due to happen.
Mustard has been very upfront in claiming that Season 7, 8 and whatever comes next is his favourite trilogy of content yet. His teases will no doubt continue throughout the rest of Season 8 through to Sunday, 5 December when it ends.
Whether it's Chapter 3 or Season 9 next, we can't wait to see what happens and are on board with the rest of the community who are heaping praise on Epic for the top quality content in the game over the last few months.