Fortnite is offline for a scheduled update on January 9, and Epic has taken the game down for several hours while new content and game-mode changes are applied.
When the servers should be back
Expect downtime of about three to four hours for mid-season updates. Based on recent mid-season maintenance, servers will probably return sometime between 5 AM ET and 8 AM ET on January 9. Epic can extend the window if issues are discovered during deployment, so players should watch official channels for status updates.
What the January 9 update brings
The headline addition is a major South Park collaboration. The update converts the Wonkeeland POI into Cartmanland, adds the Stick of Truth Mythic item, and introduces a free Mini Pass tied to the collab. Expect a new five-player limited-time mode alongside updates to Blitz and Reload, and Winterfest content will be removed from the live game.
Epic normally posts full notes on its official channels during maintenance. Once servers are live, check the developer’s post for the complete patch notes and any platform-specific fixes.
Why this matters
Mid-season updates like this one change map spots and add Mythic items that can affect matchmaking and in-game balance for a few days. Players who plan to log on right after the downtime should give it a short window in case Epic spots rollout issues and pauses service to fix them. For context on how Epic handles seasonal content and downtime, see our coverage of Winterfest 2025 and the December 5 outage tied to relayed connection problems reported earlier in the winter here.
If servers are still down past the expected window, watch Fortnite Status on X or Epic’s official blog for updates. Keep an eye out for the new cosmetics in the Item Shop and the limited-time mode once the servers return.
Follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram for updates about the January 9 update and other Fortnite news.
Fortnite: Chapter 7 - Season 1: Pacific Break
Developed by Epic Games
