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What Are Gamers Experiencing Disruptions Right Now?
Fortnite players are facing another unexpected three-hour downtime today. Epic Games scheduled maintenance for Epic Online Services starting July 31 at 6:00 AM UTC. This means servers will stay offline until 9:00 AM UTC.
During this time, you might see problems with:
- Lobbies and sessions working poorly
- Matchmaking taking longer than usual
- Party features not working right when playing with friends
Don’t panic if you can’t connect. Epic says their built-in retry system should help, but some players will still have trouble getting in.
Timing Raises Questions Among Players
This downtime comes just two days before the Super Showdown live event on August 2. Many players wonder why Epic needs more server work so close to a major event.
The timing seems strange because:
- Chapter 6 Season 3 just got the v36.30 update on July 29
- The Super Showdown event happens August 2 at 2:30 PM ET
- Season 3 ends August 7, 2025
Getting Ready for Massive Player Traffic
Most experts think Epic is preparing servers for the huge crowd expected at the Super Showdown event. Live events in Fortnite draw millions of players at once. This can crash servers if they’re not ready.
The maintenance likely focuses on:
- Backend fixes to handle more players
- Queue improvements for faster event access
- Server stability during peak traffic
Epic learned from past events where too many players caused problems. This prep work helps avoid those issues.
What Players Should Do Now
Keep your game updated to the latest version for the best experience. Epic recommends this especially if you plan to join the Super Showdown event this weekend.
The retry functionality built into Fortnite should help during maintenance, but it won’t work for everyone. Be patient if you see connection errors.
Super Showdown Event Details
The big event happens August 2 at 2:30 PM ET (11:30 AM PT, 7:30 PM BST). Event doors open 30 minutes early for players to get in.
Early hints suggest:
- Superman plays a major role in the story
- Demon’s Domain serves as the main location
- A kraken-like creature might appear based on teaser footage
This event will transition players from the superhero-themed Season 3 to what reports suggest will be a bug invasion-themed Season 4.
The downtime might feel annoying, but it’s Epic’s way of making sure everyone can enjoy the big finale without server crashes or long wait times.