Fortnite downtime today (October 12): When will the servers be back up?

With the second major update of the season about to happen soon, players can expect a Fortnite downtime today (October 12). Based on the information at hand, the Fortnite 18.20 update will bring a few significant changes to the island and will mark the beginning of Fortnitemares 2021.

While developers have been tight lipped about these changes, there are few conclusions that can be drawn from leaks that have been in circulation for a while now.

According to the official tweet from Epic Games, Fortnite downtime today (October 12), will begin at 4:00 am Eastern Time. As always, servers will be taken offline and matchmaking will be disabled 30 minutes before downtime begins.

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How long will the Fortnite downtime today last?

Based on official information from the developers, Fortnite downtime today will begin at 4:00 am Eastern Time, with servers going offline at 3:30 am. Based on the update that occurred on September 28, the servers should be back within three hours at the most. However, keep in mind that this is subject to change.

Additionally, console and Switch players should expect the update size to be smaller compared to last time. Given that there is no specific tweet stating that major fixes are being pushed, or any mention of bugs or issues being patched, the update should be nominal in size.

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What new content can players expect following the Fortnite 18.20 update?

Well, although it's ambiguous at the moment, the official tweet from Epic Games has revealed a hint. By the looks of it, the second round of the War Effort will kick off today.

Players will have to vote between the Combat Assault Rifle and Combat SMG. Despite the gun bringing much excitement to fans, many feel let down that Epic Games is making them vote for items that have never been used before.

On a happier note, the Golden Cube's journey is coming to an end as it's expected to reach the center of the map by the time the Fortnite downtime ends. It's unclear what happens next, as the Purple Cube will only reach the Aftermath on October 19.

Aside from the cubes, players can expect a variety of cosmetics for Fortnitemares 2021 to get added to the game, alongside a few map changes that showcase the spread of corruption on the island. Doctor Slone may also move closer to the redacted bunker near Catty Corner.