Fortnite Servers Go Offline Ahead of Winterfest 2025

If you’re asking, “Is Fortnite down?”, the answer is yes. Epic Games officially took Fortnite offline at 4 a.m. ET on Thursday, December 18, 2025, as part of a scheduled update to launch the game’s annual Winterfest event.

The downtime follows the start of Fortnite Chapter 7, Season 1: Pacific Break, which launched on November 29 after the mini Simpsons season. As with previous seasonal updates, matchmaking ended shortly before the servers went dark.

Epic Games confirmed the update via the official Fortnite Status account, warning players—especially those on Xbox—that the download size may be larger than usual.

When Will Fortnite Be Back Online?

While Epic Games has not provided an exact return time, Fortnite updates typically last a few hours. If previous Winterfest rollouts are any indication, servers should gradually come back online later today once patch deployment is complete across platforms.

Players are advised to keep an eye on official Fortnite social channels for real-time updates as the servers reopen.

Please note this also affects Wonder Onesie’s Napstar Back Bling and Pickaxe, and may display an error or load you into a match with default cosmetics.

If this happens, be sure to equip any Spray when editing the item’s Style as a workaround while we prepare a fix for a future… https://t.co/u27U8yHyRV

— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) December 17, 2025

What Is Fortnite Winterfest?

Fortnite Winterfest is the game’s annual holiday celebration, running through late December and into January. The event introduces:

• Daily free in-game presents

• A returning Gift Unwrap feature

• Winter-themed map elements and cosmetics

• Limited-time challenges and rewards

Winterfest takes place during the regular season, meaning players can enjoy festive content without interrupting ranked or core gameplay progression.

 

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Winterfest 2025 Skins and Leaked Item Shop Dates

Epic Games has released the first official Winterfest 2025 trailer, confirming several high-profile collaborations—while dataminers have leaked even more details.

According to prominent leakers, here are the expected Winterfest 2025 Item Shop dates:

• Harry Potter Skins: Thursday, December 18

• Snow Miku (Hatsune Miku): Friday, December 19

• SpongeBob Collaboration: Friday, December 19

• Bleach Skins: Saturday, December 20

• Santa Sabrina Carpenter: Monday, December 22

• Alpine Lexa & Chilly: Monday, December 22

• Doc Brown & DeLorean: Tuesday, December 23

Epic has already confirmed Winter Sabrina Carpenter and Snow Miku skins through official marketing materials.

New Jam Tracks and Rumored Bundles

Winterfest 2025 also brings new Jam Tracks, including:

• “Snowmix” by Marasy feat. Hatsune Miku – 500 V-Bucks

• “Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter – 500 V-Bucks

Rumored bundles include an expansive Harry Potter crossover featuring over 10 skins, along with themed back blings, emotes, and pickaxes.

While leaks have proven reliable in past seasons, Epic Games urges fans to wait for official confirmations. Still, all signs point to Winterfest 2025 being one of Fortnite’s biggest holiday events yet.

Once servers are back online, players can jump in, unwrap free gifts, and explore the winter chaos taking over the island.