Fortnite players logging in this morning might have encountered the all-too-familiar error screens. As of October 2, 2025, Epic Games has taken the servers offline for scheduled maintenance tied to update 37.40. This comes right on the heels of building excitement for Fortnitemares 2025, the annual Halloween event that's supposed to kick off with spooky new content and challenges. Indeed, the timing feels particularly disruptive, especially for those grinding dailies or prepping for the seasonal shift.
The downtime began around 4 a.m. ET, according to Epic's status page, with no firm end time announced yet. However, past patterns suggest it could stretch two to four hours, though delays aren't uncommon—remember that extended outage back in March? Players are venting on social media, sharing memes about the endless loading loops and speculating on what horrors await in the update. Moreover, this isn't just a quick patch; it's paving the way for Fortnitemares, featuring rumored ghost-themed weapons and map alterations that could redefine the battle royale meta.
Indeed, Epic has been upfront about the necessity, citing backend tweaks to ensure stability during the event's launch. Still, the frustration is palpable among the community, with some calling it a needless interruption to the flow of play. Downdetector reports spikes in complaints about login failures and matchmaking errors, peaking in the last hour. For now, the advice is simple: step away, maybe catch up on other games, or dive into the lore videos circulating online.
However, as these updates roll out, one can't help but wonder if the growing complexity of Fortnite's ecosystem is starting to strain even Epic's robust infrastructure.