Fortnite glitch could have caused the Item Shop countdown timer to disappear 

Fortnite glitches can affect every part of the game - from cosmetics not appearing correctly in Lockers to players getting stuck in door frames. Given how complex things are, the possibilities are truly endless at times. A simple bug can create a mountain out of a molehill, resulting in issues that can affect players en masse. The latest of these Fortnite glitches could be the cause behind the recent Item Shop glitch.

A few hours ago, on January 17, 2024, there was a sudden change made to the in-game Item Shop. The text was changed to read:

"The shop refreshes every day, usually at 7:00 PM ET (which is midnight GMT)."

Given that the Fortnite Item Shop has had a fixed rotation time since its inception, this caught the community off guard. The word 'usually' now indicates that the Item Shop could rotate earlier if needed. Granted that this has happened before, the change made no sense for the most. However, alongside the text change, the Item Shop countdown timer seems to have disappeared as well.

---

Item Shop countdown timer removed, likely due to a Fortnite glitch

While the Item Shop's in-game text changing was not an issue, the countdown timer was changed and well, removed completely. Given that users often use the timer to keep track of the Item Shop's rotation, this has left them in a dilemma. While leakers/data miners and other sites provide a live update about tomorrow's Item Shop, there is nothing like having an in-game timer.

Most players assumed it was removed on purpose to match the text change that now indicates that a rotation could occur before 7:00 PM Eastern Time. However, as mentioned, this would make no sense as early rotations are common. After major updates, the Item Shop tends to rotate early. Epic Games pushes in new cosmetics for the community to peruse and purchase.

As it turns out, the Item Shop countdown timer was not removed but rather was affected by a Fortnite glitch. A user known as xd560660 took to social media to ask Epic Games what happened to the Item Shop countdown timer. They inquired if it was a Fortnite glitch, to which Fortnite's official account replied by stating that they were looking into the matter.

---

When could the Item Shop countdown timer be added back?

At the moment, there is no clear answer to be had. However, considering that a major update (v28.10) will be released soon, very likely on January 23, 2024, the Fortnite glitch should be addressed then. For the time being, players will have to set an alarm clock to remind themself about the next Item Shop reset.

As mentioned, while it's not a game-breaking issue, not having the countdown timer/refresh timer in the Item Shop is rather odd. Hopefully, it should be back by next week, alongside UI changes that have been in development since the start of Chapter 5 Season 1.