What’s next for Fortnite Live? A pulse-pounding countdown to the event that could reshape Battle Royale’s horizon.
Come with us as we break down all the details we have about the next Fortnite live event, which could be in Chapter 7 Season 1, and when it could happen.
When is the Next Fortnite Live Event? Date and Time
The next Fortnite Live Event is scheduled for January 28, 2026, with tentative start times around 6:00 PM ET, though exact countdowns may shift as Epic Games confirms final details. If you’re playing on a different platform, check your in-game events hub for regional start times and any platform-specific broadcasts.
As of the time of writing, Epic Games has not confirmed the date and time for the next Fortnite live event. This is expected since Chapter 7 kicked off only a month ago. The Fortnite 2026 Roadmap has given us dates for patches like 39.20 on January 9, 2026, and 39.30 on January 22, 2026. However, none of these dates specify a live event.
However, it is important to remember that Chapter 7 Season 1 doesn’t end until March 4, 2026. This gives Epic Games ample time to add files related to a season-end live event with the next Fortnite update, patch 39.20. The developers could also announce it with the 39.50 update, which will be the last update before Chapter 7 Season 2.
Previous Fortnite Live Event Details
Fortnite’s previous live events have delivered huge moments that reshaped the island and story. Major highlights include “The End,” which closed Chapter 2 in a dramatic showdown, and “Fracture,” which introduced a completely new map for Chapter 4. Each event blended cinematic sequences with real-time player interaction, drawing millions of participants worldwide. These events often serve as transitions between chapters or seasons, bringing major gameplay and visual changes that set the stage for what comes next in Battle Royale.
The most recent major live event was the Chapter 6 finale event titled “Zero Hour.” The event took place on November 29, 2025, at 2 PM ET. It was one of the game’s most ambitious events, bringing in massive Fortnite collaborations like Godzilla, Kong, Superman, and so many more against the Dark Presence in a final showdown. The event went on to become one of Fortnite’s most-watched events, with over 10.5 million players attending the finale.
Apart from the Zero Hour event, Epic Games featured their annual New Year’s ball drop on December 31, 2025. The event took place every hour on New Year’s Eve, welcoming the New Year across the world.
How to Join a Fortnite Live Event
To join a Fortnite live event, players should log in at least 30 minutes before the event begins to secure a spot in the server. Once in the game, head to the Battle Royale mode and look for the event playlist, which usually appears shortly before the show starts. Equip your character, adjust settings if needed, and wait in the lobby or designated area until the countdown reaches zero. Epic Games often disables certain game modes and features during live events to ensure everyone can experience the spectacle without interruptions.
Joining a Fortnite live event is relatively simple. Epic Games usually sends out an in-game announcement, as well as a social media announcement that the live event is happening. You can then load into Fortnite Battle Royale and find the playlist for the live event in your library. It is recommended that you load into a match at least 30 minutes before the event is set to happen. This is because lobbies fill up extremely quickly during major events.
It is also important to remember that Epic Games usually disables all of the other playlists for major live events. Once you join a major live event’s playlist, you might find yourself without a weapon. Epic Games does this to prevent any griefers from ruining the experience for a player, providing a community environment for the experience.
Full List of All Fortnite Live Events Till Date
Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode has hosted numerous live events since 2018, each transforming the island with spectacle and story progression. From the black hole that ended Season X to The Big Bang ushering in Chapter 5, these moments unite millions of players. Recent highlights include the 2024 Star Wars collaboration and the Marvel Nemesis event, blending pop culture with gameplay disruptions. This list catalogs every event through early 2026, complete with dates, descriptions, and recaps.
Fortnite has had numerous live events, both major and minor. While some of these were single-day live events and could only be experienced once, other events like Fortnite Remix and Travis Scott concerts could be played through multiple times.
Here is a list of all Fortnite live events up until Chapter 7 Season 1:
| Live Event | Season | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Rocket Launch | Chapter 1 Season 4 | June 30, 2018 |
| Rocket Launch Rift | Chapter 1 Season 4 | June 30, 2018 – July 11, 2018 |
| Crack Closure | Chapter 1 Season 5 | August 24, 2018 |
| Cube Sinking | Chapter 1 Season 5 | September 19, 2018 |
| Butterfly Event | Chapter 1 Season 6 | November 4, 2018 |
| New Year 2019 | Chapter 1 Season 7 | December 31, 2018 |
| Ice Storm | Chapter 1 Season 7 | January 19, 2019 |
| Showtime (Marshmello Concert) | Chapter 1 Season 7 | February 2, 2019 |
| Earthquakes | Chapter 1 Season 7 | February 14, 2019 – February 27, 2019 |
| Vault Runes | Chapter 1 Season 8 | April 19, 2019 – May 3, 2019 |
| The Unvaulting Event | Chapter 1 Season 8 | May 4, 2019 |
| The Final Showdown | Chapter 1 Season 9 | July 20, 2019 |
| Zero Point Destabilization | Chapter 1 Season 9 | July 20, 2019 – August 1, 2019 |
| The End (Chapter 1 Finale) | Chapter 1 Season X | October 13, 2019 |
| Live At Risky (Star Wars Emperor Palpatine Message) | Chapter 2 Season 1 | December 14, 2019 |
| New Year 2020 | Chapter 2 Season 1 | December 31, 2019 |
| Travis Scott’s Astronomical | Chapter 2 Season 2 | April 23, 2020 – April 25, 2020 |
| The Device | Chapter 2 Season 2 | June 15, 2020 |
| The Devourer of Worlds (Galactus Live Event) | Chapter 2 Season 4 | December 1, 2020 |
| New Year 2021 | Chapter 2 Season 5 | December 31, 2020 |
| Zero Point Destabilization | Chapter 2 Season 5 | March 2, 2021 – March 16, 2021 |
| Zero Crisis Finale | Chapter 2 Season 6 | Available for players when they log into Chapter 3 Season 1 for the first time |
| Slurpy Swamp Abduction | Chapter 2 Season 7 | August 2, 2021 |
| Rift Tour (Ariana Grande Concert) | Chapter 2 Season 7 | August 6, 2021 – August 8, 2021 |
| Coral Castle Abduction | Chapter 2 Season 7 | August 16, 2021 |
| Corny Complex Abduction | Chapter 2 Season 7 | September 5, 2021 |
| Operation Sky Fire | Chapter 2 Season 7 | September 12, 2021 |
| Birth of Cube (Shattered Saucer) | Chapter 2 Season 8 | September 20, 2021 |
| Birth of Cube (Smashed Stronghold) | Chapter 2 Season 8 | September 24, 2021 |
| Birth of Cube (Destroyed Dish) | Chapter 2 Season 8 | September 30, 2021 |
| Birth of Cube (Levelled Lake) | Chapter 2 Season 8 | October 2, 2021 |
| Birth of Cube (Wasted Woods) | Chapter 2 Season 8 | October 6, 2021 |
| The End (Chapter 2 Finale) | Chapter 2 Season 8 | December 4, 2021 |
| A New Day | Chapter 3 Season 1 | Available for players when they logged into Chapter 3 Season 1 for the first time |
| New Year 2022 | Chapter 3 Season 1 | December 31, 2021 |
| Earthquakes | Chapter 3 Season 1 | February 12, 2022 – March 20, 2022 |
| Collider Energy Pulses | Chapter 3 Season 2 | May 20, 2022 – June 3, 2022 |
| Collision | Chapter 3 Season 2 | June 4, 2022 |
| Fracture (Chapter 3 Finale) | Chapter 3 Season 4 | December 3, 2022 |
| New Year 2023 | Chapter 4 Season 1 | December 31, 2022 |
| Earthquakes | Chapter 4 Season 2 | April 11, 2023 – June 2, 2023 |
| The Big Bang (Chapter 4 Finale) | Chapter 4 Season OG | December 2, 2023 |
| New Year 2024 | Chapter 5 Season 1 | December 31, 2023 |
| Pandora’s Box Emergence | Chapter 5 Season 1 | March 2, 2024 |
| Pandora’s Box Opening | Chapter 5 Season 1 | March 3, 2024 |
| Zeus’ Lightning Strikes | Chapter 5 Season 2 | May 13, 2024 – May 16, 2024 |
| Sandstorm | Chapter 5 Season 2 | May 16, 2024 |
| Refinery Event | Chapter 5 Season 3 | August 10, 2024 |
| Absolute Doom | Chapter 5 Season 4 | October 5, 2024 |
| Remix: The Prelude (Snoop Dogg and Ice Spice concert screening) | Chapter 5 Season 4 | November 1, 2024 |
| Remix: The Finale (Chapter 5 Finale and Snoop Dogg, Ice Spice, Eminem, Juice WRLD concert) | Chapter 2 Remix | November 30, 2024 |
| Defrosting | Chapter 6 Season 1 | December 20, 2024 |
| New Year 2025 | Chapter 6 Season 1 | December 31, 2024 |
| The Confrontation | Chapter 6 Season 1 | February 15, 2025 |
| Daigo’s Fate | Chapter 6 Season 2 | April 30, 2025 |
| Death Star Sabotage | Chapter 6 Mini Season 1 | June 7, 2025 |
| Super Showdown | Chapter 6 Season 3 | August 2, 2025 |
| Daft Punk Experience | Chapter 6 Season 4 | September 27, 2025 |
| Welcome, Our Alien Overlords (The Simpsons Event) | Chapter 6 Season 4 | November 1, 2025 |
| Zero Hour (Chapter 6 Finale) | Chapter 6 Mini Season 2 | November 29, 2025 |
| New Year 2026 | Chapter 7 Season 1 | December 31, 2025 |
Will the next live event end Chapter 7 Season 1
There is no official confirmation that the next Fortnite live event will end Chapter 7 Season 1, but many leakers and community sites expect the big event of this chapter to be a season-ending one close to March 4, 2026.
What is known
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Chapter 7 Season 1 is scheduled to end on March 4, 2026, according to current season timers and community trackers.
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Guides discussing the “next Fortnite live event” treat it as likely tied to the end of the season but stress that Epic has not formally labeled it a confirmed season finale yet.
What is speculation
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It is widely assumed that the next major live event will serve as the transition from Chapter 7 Season 1 to Season 2, because Epic traditionally uses big events near season end to move the story forward.
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Until Epic adds an in-game countdown or posts an official announcement stating it is a “season finale” event, this remains speculation and could change if they decide to run a mid-season or purely promotional event instead.
So, the safest answer is: the next big event will probably end Chapter 7 Season 1, but that has not been officially confirmed yet.
What changes usually follow a Fortnite chapter-ending event
After a Fortnite chapter-ending live event, the game usually goes into downtime and comes back with a new chapter that includes a revamped map, new mechanics, and a refreshed loot pool. These finales act as hard resets for the story and often change how matches feel day to day.
Immediate aftermath
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Servers typically go into extended downtime right after the chapter finale event ends, sometimes lasting several hours or longer while the big update is applied.
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During this period, players cannot queue into matches and will often just see a special screen or message until the new chapter is ready.
Map and island changes
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Chapter-ending events usually lead to major map updates: destroyed or replaced POIs, new biomes, or even a completely redesigned island layout.
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These changes are often tied directly to what happened in the finale (for example, reality collapsing, a new reality forming, or giant threats reshaping the landscape).
Gameplay and systems
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New chapters often introduce fresh core mechanics or movement options (such as past additions like new mobility systems or reality-based features), along with big item and weapon pool shifts.
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The meta is effectively reset, with different loot, balance changes, and sometimes new systems for quests or progression.
Story and cosmetics
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The overarching storyline moves into a new arc, with new factions, threats, and NPCs replacing the chapter’s previous villains or organizations.
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Battle Passes, collabs, and cosmetic themes also pivot to match the new chapter’s narrative and visual style.


