Fortnite season 7 COUNTDOWN: Release date, start time, skins, snow map, servers, leaks

– UPDATE ONE: A feature coming with the new Battle Pass has officially been confirmed ahead of the Fortnite season 7 release date.

The Fortnite season 7 release date and start time is fast approaching with PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, PC and Mac fans gearing up for the launch.

And ahead of the Fortnite season 7 release date a new feature of the upcoming Battle Pass has officially been confirmed by Epic Games.

The makers revealed Fortnite creative is launching during Fortnite season 7, and those who purchase the new Battle Pass will get a week of early access.

Fortnite creative lets players build, battle and create their own games on a private island – with progress saved so they go back to their creations.

Explaining how Fortnite creative works, Epic Games said: “It’s a brand new way to experience the world of Fortnite.

“Design games, race around the island, battle your friends in new ways and build your dream Fortnite.

“It’s all happening on your own private island where everything you make is saved.”

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – Countdown to release date start time, server downtime and leaks, skins, map news (Image: EPIC GAMES)

ORIGINAL: Fortnite season 7 is fast approaching, bringing with it new skins, challenges and snow map changes in the next Battle Pass for Battle Royale.

The Fortnite season 7 release date and start time is drawing near with Epic Games set to launch their big Battle Royale update in a huge upcoming patch.

There are plenty of rumours about what Epic Games has planned with Fortnite season 7 while leaks have also hinted at inbound skins and a new map POI.

Fortnite fans this week have also been treated to teasers which appear to confirm a number of features coming with Fortnite season 7 on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PCs and Macs.

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – New Battle Pass release date rumoured to bring Battle Royale snow map (Image: EPIC GAMES)

Each day the official Twitter account for Fortnite has posted teasers hinting at what Fortnite season 7 will bring with it to the Battle Royale table.

And it looks like the long rumoured snow map has been confirmed for Fortnite season 7 – but surely Epic Games still has plenty of surprises in store.

Ahead of the Fortnite season 7 release date Express.co.uk has rounded up everything you need to know about the new Battle Pass.

We have details on the Fortnite season 7 start time, skins, server downtime, leaks and possible snow map changes for Battle Royale.

FORTNITE SEASON 7 – WHEN IS THE RELEASE DATE? WHAT IS THE START TIME?

At the start of the week the official Fortnite Twitter account confirmed the Fortnite season 7 release date.

They revealed that Fortnite season 7 – as Express.co.uk previously predicted – will launch on Thursday December 6.

On Monday the Fortnite Twitter tweeted alongside the first season 7 teaser: “A bitter ice spreads… 3 days to Season 7.”

In terms of a release time, Epic Games are yet to officially confirm the Fortnite season 7 start time.

But looking at past Battle Pass launches may give an indication of when Fortnite season 7 will be out on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PCs and Macs.

With previous Fortnite season launches the hit Battle Royale game went offline at 9am UK time to prepare for the rollout of the upcoming Battle Pass.

Those who were in a match around 8.30am UK time were kicked out to ready the Fortnite servers for the new Battle Pass launch and patch rollout.

Express.co.uk expects that to be the case again with the Fortnite season 7 release date.

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – Teasers have been posted on the Fortnite Twitter in the run-up to launch (Image: EPIC GAMES)

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – Snow has already started falling ahead of the Fortnite season 7 release date (Image: EPIC GAMES)

FORTNITE SEASON 7 – HAVE ANY NEW SKINS BEEN REVEALED? HAVE ANY FORTNITE SEASON 7 SKINS BEEN LEAKED?

The Fortnite season 7 teasers which have dropped this week hinted at the first Fortnite season 7 skins available in the new Battle Pass.

With previous Fortnite season crossovers, teasers have either explicitly or subtly shown new skins coming to Battle Royale.

And while the Fortnite season 6 teasers clearly showed inbound new skins, the Fortnite season 7 teasers seem to be hinting at these new cosmetics.

The first Fortnite season 7 teaser appeared to show the outline of a new Fortnite season 7 skin – a character with spiked horns coming from its head.

This Fortnite season 7 skin appears to be wearing a fearsome helmet and seems to have ice-like eyes.

While the second Fortnite season 7 teaser showed a character that had a cat like mask.

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – The onesie skin had been spotted in the season 6 week 10 loading screen (Image: EPIC GAMES)

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – Christmas skins are likely to feature in the new Battle Pass (Image: EPIC GAMES)

And today, ahead of the Fortnite season 7 release date, a major leak has revealed three Fortnite season 7 skins – with two boasting sinister looks.

Two of these leaked Fortnite season 7 skins look to be the ones featured in the season 7 teasers.

You can find a picture of the leaked Fortnite season 7 skins in this article.

The Fortnite season 7 leaked skins image also appears to show part of the long-lost onesie skin.

Fortnite fans had been left wondering if Epic Games were teasing the onesie skin for Fortnite season 7 after it appeared in the Fortnite season 6 week 10 loading screen.

The Fortnite onesie skin had been seen in in-game files by leakers before it was suddenly removed later on.

Its re-emergence in the Fortnite week 10 loading screen led to speculation among fans that it could be being teased for a season 7 launch.

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – Leaks have already revealed three Fortnite season 7 skins (Image: EPIC GAMES • TWITTER CROSSLEAKS)

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – The onesie skin is also rumoured to be a Fortnite season 7 skin (Image: EPIC GAMES)

FORTNITE SEASON 7 – COULD WE SEE ANY MAP CHANGES WITH FORTNITE SEASON 7? WHAT IS THE NEW BATTLE PASS THEME? WHAT ARE THE LATEST FORTNITE SEASON 7 LEAKS?

Fortnite season 7 has long been rumoured to have a wintery theme to coincide with the festive season.

Fortnite season 6 had a spooky theme which was perfectly timed as it launched around the same time as Halloween.

And with Fortnite season 7 having its release date and start time in the run-up to Christmas a snow covered Battle Royale map has long been rumoured.

Leaks have also backed this up, with dataminers uncovering evidence of an ice storm event as well as sound files for characters walking in the snow.

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – A massive iceberg is approaching the Fortnite Battle Royale island (Image: EPIC GAMES • YOUTUBE CINEMA OF GAMING)

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – The Battle Royale iceberg has a castle turret sticking out of it (Image: EPIC GAMES • YOUTUBE ZEPH)

Snow has already started falling in Fortnite Battle Royale with a few flakes spotted in the days leading up to the Fortnite season 7 launch.

But this being Fortnite, things are never that straightforward and what kickstarts the Fortnite season 7 launch looks to be something else entirely.

Fortnite fans in the build-up to Fortnite season 7 have noticed an approaching storm on the Battle Royale horizon.

This has gotten closer to the Battle Royale map recently and some Fortnite fans have managed to actually travel all the way out to it.

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – The castle changes during different times of the day (Image: EPIC GAMES)

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – Tilted Towers is once again rumoured to be getting destroyed (Image: EPIC GAMES)

And instead of it being a building storm, it’s actually a huge iceberg covered with mist.

The Fortnite iceberg also has a castle turret sticking out from it, which has led to speculation the long-rumoured castle POI is coming with season 7.

Maybe the Fortnite season 7 iceberg will crash into the Battle Royale map at the start of the new Battle Pass and somehow add this brand new POI?

Other rumoured additions for Fortnite season 7 could have been spotted in the teasers released this week.

Eagle-eyed Fortnite fans spotted in the first teaser there was a tiny image of what looks to be a character snowboarding or skiing.

This then took front and centre of the second Fortnite season 7 teaser, with a character clearly seen skiing or snowboarding.

Also seen in the Fortnite season 7 teaser is what appears to be a small image of a character using a zipline.

So both Fortnite season 7 teasers look to be hinting at new inbound features.

And finally, it wouldn’t be a new Fortnite season launch without rumours about Tilted Towers’ demise, with speculation mounting again the POI could get destroyed by Epic Games.

It’s been claimed that the A.I.M hunting party skin could be behind the long-rumoured destruction of Tilted Towers at the start of Fortnite season 7.

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – Tilted Towers has long been rumoured to be facing destruction in Battle Royale (Image: EPIC GAMES)

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – It is rumoured the AIM skin will be behind the destruction of Tilted Towers (Image: EPIC GAMES)

FORTNITE SEASON 7 – WILL THERE BE SERVER DOWNTIME? HOW LONG ARE SERVERS LIKELY TO BE DOWN FOR?

Epic Games has not officially confirmed yet whether there will be server downtime before the launch of Fortnite season 7.

But it’s almost guaranteed given that Epic Games tends to take Fortnite down ahead of the rollout of major updates.

And a brand new season is the biggest kind of update that Fortnite can get.

Express.co.uk expects Fortnite servers to go down at 9am UK time on the Fortnite season 7 release date.

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – New Battle Pass is rumoured to feature a festive snow map (Image: EPIC GAMES)

Fortnite season 7

Fortnite season 7 – Servers are likely to go down ahead of the new patch launch (Image: EPIC GAMES)

For those in other time zones, that would be 4am eastern time and 1am pacific.

An official announcement on the Fortnite server downtime is also expected before the launch of Fortnite season 7 – so stay tuned for more Battle Royale news.

Once Fortnite servers go down the first Fortnite season 7 trailer as well as Fortnite season 7 patch notes are likely to drop.

Ahead of the rollout of a major Fortnite update servers tend to go down for between one to three hours.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Fortnite servers go down for around three hours on the Fortnite season 7 release day.

• Stay tuned to Express.co.uk for all the latest news on the Fortnite season 7 release date