Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 estimated release time and date
Everything we currently know about Fortnite's Ancient Greek season.
Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 will be arriving towards the end of this week, so make sure you've unlocked all the items you want from the current battle pass.
It's been heavily hinted, almost shouted to the heavens in fact, that Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 will be themed around Ancient Greek mythology. This has included a giant hand emerging from the depths of the island and teasers of Ancient Greek gods on the official Fortnite X (formally Twitter) account.
Below you'll find the Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 estimated release time and date, along with everything we know about Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2.
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Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 estimated release time and date: When does Chapter 5 Season 1 end?
While it's been confirmed that Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 will be released on Friday 8th March 2024, you may have noticed that the game is still experiencing downtime.
Thanks to the offical Fortnite Status X (formally known as Twitter), we know this is due to 'an unexpected issue during our [Fortnite's] maintenance' and Fortnite will have at least eight additional hours of downtime due to this.
Due to this, and going by when the above statement was posted, Fortnite may go live at the following times:
- UK - 10pm (GMT)
- Europe - 11pm (CET)
- East Coast US - 5pm (EST)
- West Coast US - 2pm (PST)
Remember - in Epic's statement, it was stated that they need 'at least eight additional hours.' This means the downtime could last longer than the times listed above. We recommend keeping an eye on both the Fortnite Status and offical Fortnite X accounts as Epic will hopefully provide updates as they work on fixing this issue.
Everything we know about Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2
It's been confirmed (though we all basically knew already) that Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2, entitled Myths and Mortals, is themed around Anicent Greece and its mythology.
While you wait for the new season to be released, take a look at the launch trailer...
Most recently on Tuesday 5th March, the official Fortnite X (the social media platform formally known as Twitter) posted a picture of a mysterious figure wielding a chain, which ends with what looks like a snake skull. The identity of this figure is currently unknown, but, going by the green tone, it could be Hades. We also don't know if this will be an upcoming battle pass skin or not.
This image was preceded by a picture of Zeus - king of the gods, as well as sky and thunder, in Greek mythology - on Monday 4th March. Whether he's going to be one of the new skins, an NPC or maybe even a boss is yet to be seen...
It would be cool if we get an Artemis or Athena skin.
The most notable 'Greek mythology is coming!' hint, however, was the giant hand emerging from the ground near the Ruined Reels location on the Fortnite island over the past weekend. (Ruined Reels is literally a set of Ancient Greek ruins, with statues of jacked Fishsticks.)
Hanging from this hand, and encased in chains, was a chest. It didn't stay closed for long though as the Fortnite community quickly went about smashing the chains to pieces with their Harvesting Tools to reveal what treasures might be hidden inside...
Chests don't always contain treasures in Greek mythology though and, when it was opened, the box released a pillar of flames. Now there's only one notable chest in Greek mythology and, when you take the flames into account, it's not hard to assume that this chest is, in fact, Pandora's Box.
I don't often (or at all) get to use my knowledge of Ancient Greek or the civilization's mythology when writing about video games, so I hope you excuse me while I go off on one for a bit. Regular Fortnite content will return shortly.
Pandora was said to be the first human woman to be created and was done so by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. She was then given to Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus (who famously stole fire for humanity and, in return, had his liver eaten by an eagle everyday until he was rescued by Heracles), and brought with her a jar.
Yes - in the original recountings of the myth, Pandora's Box is actually Pandora's Jar. This change is most likely due to a mistranslation by Erasmus in the 16th-century who changed 'pithos' (Ancient Greek for large storage jar) to 'pyxis' (roughly meaning vessel). Let's go back to Pandora.
Like anyone given something they're told not to open, Pandora opened that jar (or box if you must) straight away and released all sorts of evils upon the world. Only one being remained in the jar - Elpis, the spirit of hope. Before Elpis could consider escaping, Pandora firmly placed the lid back on the jar. Is hope trapped within the jar, kept away from the world, or held safely within it? Well, that's up to you...
The point is - massive pillar of flame coming from a chest bound with chain before an Ancient Greek mythology season? Probably bad news.
Thank you to FortniteBRFeed from YouTube for the above video.
Alongside the giant hand, Fortnite has also seen the arrival of Odyssey and her Mosaic Snapshot quests. Odyssey is obviously a reference to Homer's Odyssey - an epic poem at Odysseus' long journey home after the Trojan war. You can find Odyssey wandering about Ruined Reels and we wouldn't be surprised if she continues hanging out on the island after Chapter 5 Season 2 launches.
Finally, Mark Rein, vice president and co-founder of Epic Games, has given his traditional one-word hint for the upcoming season - Wings.
Now whether this means you'll be able to ride flying animals like Pegasus, gain wings which will allow your characters to fly, be able to battle creatures like harpies or exchange your hard earned V-Bucks for winged themed cosmetics is yet to be seen. We should be finding out very soon...
Hope you're looking forward to Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2!