When does Fortnite Chapter 3 start? Release date, Battle Pass & leaks

Daniel Megarry
The Fortnite Chapter 3 logo on a loading screen

Fortnite Chapter 3 is starting sooner than we expected, so here’s everything you need to know including a release date and all of the exciting leaks that have surfaced so far.

It might be hard to believe, but Chapter 2 of Fortnite has been around for over two years, exceeding the length of Chapter 1. As a result, many players are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Chapter 3 to really shake things up once again.

Now that Chapter 2 has ended with an explosive live event, it’s been confirmed by the devs at Epic Games that Chapter 3 does indeed exist, and it will actually be the follow-up to Chapter 2 Season 8. This means it will be arriving very soon!

To get you prepared for Fortnite Chapter 3, we’ve rounded up all of the information we know so far including an expected release date, Battle Pass rumors, and all of the leaks that have emerged.


Contents


A UFO crash site in Fortnite
It’s time to say goodbye to Fortnite Chapter 2!

When does Fortnite Chapter 3 begin?

Fortnite Chapter 3 is expected to begin on Sunday, December 4, 2021, at 10am ET following a day of downtime caused by the Chapter 2 finale – we’ve got a recap of that brilliant live event here.

It was previously reported by leakers that Chapter 3 would begin on December 7, but that date now appears to have been changed.

Until the next chapter begins, players who log in to Fortnite will be greeted by an aerial view of the ocean. This is essentially a ‘downtime’ screen between chapters, similar to the infamous ‘Black Hole’ screen.

What do we know about Fortnite Chapter 3 so far?

While the natural next step after Season 8 would be to go straight into Season 9 (which is what happened during Chapter 1 of Fortnite), it’s now been confirmed that we’ll be going straight into Chapter 3 instead.

Following the game-changing Chapter 2 finale event, the Cube Queen was destroyed but the Island was flipped upside down in the process, revealing a brand new map for players to explore on its underside.

A loading screen teasing the end of Chapter 2 and the beginning of Fortnite Chapter 3
The Chapter 2 finale event is expected to have big consequences in Fortnite.

A leaked trailer for Chapter 3 – look away now if you don’t want spoilers – revealed that a new sliding mechanic will be introduced in the new chapter, as well as portable tents that act as bases for your team to heal and store weapons.

Interestingly, a Chapter 2 Season 7 teaser from back in June hinted that a Kangaroo wild animal would appear on the Island at some point, but that never happened – could it have been foreshadowing for Fortnite Chapter 3? We’ll have to wait and see.

All Fortnite Chapter 3 leaks so far

The biggest leak so far is a video that appears to be a Fortnite Chapter 3 trailer [spoiler alert!], which shows off a completely different map, new weapons, and a Battle Pass containing some huge collaborations.

A few other interesting details have popped up in recent weeks which could also hint at what to expect from Chapter 3, such as a Throwable Axe and a potential ‘buffed’ version of the Flint-Knock Pistol.

It’s also been teased by leaker HYPEX that seagulls will be the next wild animal to arrive on the Island in Chapter 3, following in the footsteps of boars, wolves, chickens, and dinosaurs.

Expect more leaks to surface as we get closer to the launch of Chapter 3. We’ll keep this page updated.

What will be in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 Battle Pass?

Spider-man on the Fortnite map
Everyone’s favorite neighborhood Spider-Man will be swinging into Fortnite soon.

A leaked trailer revealed that after months of rumors, Spider-Man will finally be appearing as an unlockable skin in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Battle Pass with multiple styles, which will coincide nicely with the new movie Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Other skins set to appear in the Battle Pass include The Foundation – who is now confirmed to be voiced by The Rock – and a new Llama skin. A Gears of War crossover has also been teased, but it’s unknown if that will be in the Battle Pass or the Item Store.

Outside of the Battle Pass, a recent post shared by leaker HYPEX highlighted a number of previously unearthed collaborations that haven’t made their way into Fortnite yet, suggesting that they could make an appearance at some point in Chapter 3.

These potential collaborations include Samus Aran from Metroid, Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, The Bride from Kill Bill, and even Lady Gaga, who was rumored to have a live concert like Ariana Grande.

Remember that these crossovers aren’t guaranteed to happen at all, and even if they do, they may appear in the Item Shop at a later date instead of in Chapter 3 Season 1.

We’ll update this page when more Chapter 3 details emerge, but in the meantime, visit our dedicated Fortnite home page for the latest leaks, news, and guides.