Fortnite season 8 is almost here, with the release date bringing with it new skins, a fresh theme, map changes and weekly challenges for Battle Royale.
These past few days Epic Games have been teasing what’s coming with Fortnite season 8 on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, PCs and Macs.
And the new Battle Pass looks set to bring huge changes, with long-rumoured updates likely to finally appear during Fortnite season 8.
Ahead of the season 8 Battle Pass launch Express.co.uk has rounded up everything Fortnite fans need to know.
We have details on the latest Fortnite season 8 leaks, skins rumours and info on possible map changes for Battle Royale.
If you’re wondering what the start time for Fortnite season 8 is and whether there will be server downtime then Express.co.uk has you covered.
We also have details on the final earthquake times as well as the Leviathan, cracken, dragon and volcano rumours for Fortnite season 8.
Plus, if you’re curious about what the rumoured pirate theme could mean for Fortnite season 8 then we’re here to help.
Fortnite season 8 COUNTDOWN – Release date, start time, skins, leaks, map, servers (Image: EPIC GAMES)
FORTNITE SEASON 8 – WHAT IS THE FORTNITE SEASON 8 RELEASE DATE? WHEN IS THE FORTNITE SEASON 8 START TIME?
Fortnite season 8 has a release date of Thursday February 28 2019, Epic Games has revealed.
The first Fortnite season 8 teaser, which was unveiled on Sunday, confirmed the Fortnite season 8 release date.
A start time for Fortnite season 8 has not been announced however there is an in-game hourly countdown until the new Battle Pass launches.
And that puts Fortnite season 7 ending at 7am UK time on Thursday February 28.
For those in the States that will be 2am eastern time on February 28 and 11pm pacific time on February 27.
FORTNITE SEASON 8 – WHAT ARE THE SKINS FOR FORTNITE SEASON 8? HAVE THERE BEEN ANY SKINS LEAKS?
It has been claimed that the patch notes for Fortnite season 8 were leaked early.
GamingIntel said they received images allegedly showing the Fortnite season 8 patch notes that accidentally went live early for a short period of time.
And the alleged Fortnite season 8 leaked patch notes claims the new Battle Pass will launch with six customisable skins.
Having six customisable skins would be a big jump from the two starter skins that typically launch with brand new Battle Passes.
Fortnite season 8 – The new Battle Pass looks set to have a pirate theme (Image: EPIC GAMES)
GamingIntel said they “cannot officially verify the legitimacy of this image” but it does “feature some connotations of being real”.
It remains to be seen what skins come with the Fortnite season 8 Battle Pass, but we do know for certain one outfit that’s launching during it.
Last week the IKONIK skin – which is only available with purchases of the Samsung Galaxy S10+ – was revealed.
The new Samsung flagship is getting released in March, meaning the IKONIK skin is the first cosmetic launching during season 8 to be officially revealed.
Fortnite season 8 – Epic Games have been busy teasing Fortnite season 8 for the past few days (Image: EPIC GAMES)
FORTNITE SEASON 8 – HAVE THERE BEEN ANY SEASON 8 LEAKS? WHAT COULD THE THEME OF THE BATTLE PASS BE?
The previously mentioned alleged leaked Fortnite season 8 patch notes claimed the new Battle Pass would kick off with a huge earthquake.
The Fortnite season 8 patch notes allegedly said: “Stand your ground!
“Season 8 begins as a devastating earthquake tears apart the island.
“Discover what’s changed in locations like Tilted Towers and Polar Peak, and venture underground in newly exposed areas!
“Check out the new Battle Pass and further customise your experience with unlockable lobby backgrounds while unlocking new styles for all six customisable skins.”
Fortnite season 8 – The new Battle Pass could see the Leviathan or dragons appear (Image: EPIC GAMES)
Fortnite season 8 has long been rumoured to kick off with a major earthquake that brings huge changes to the Battle Royale map.
And while that could still be the case, the Fortnite season 8 teasers that officially have been revealed by Epic Games have hinted at a pirate theme.
The Fortnite season 8 teasers have hinted at a pirate theme and the addition of ships as a new vehicle as well as a new volcano location.
The teasers have also hinted that the Fortnite Leviathan or the Fortnite cracken could be coming with Fortnite season 8.
Fortnite season 8 – The final teaser hinted at the incoming arrival of bananas (Image: EPIC GAMES)
The Fortnite Leviathan has long been rumoured to be coming to Battle Royale, and could be the dragon-like creature seen in the third Fortnite season 8 teaser.
While the serpent-like creature seen in Fortnite season 8 teaser 2 may be the head of the Fortnite cracken leakers previously discovered proof of.
A kraken is usually a huge octopus-like creature found in the sea, but the different spelling may indicate it could be a re-imagining from Epic.
Either the Fortnite cracken or Fortnite Leviathan may turn out to be the focus of the rumoured boss battle that players could face in season 8.
The final Fortnite season 8 teaser has hinted at the arrival of bananas while all four teasers join together to show an image of a skull over a volcano.
Fortnite season 8 – This is what all Fortnite season 8 teasers look like when joined up (Image: EPIC GAMES • TWITTER FORTTORY)
FORTNITE SEASON 8 – WILL THERE BE ANY MAP CHANGES? WHAT NEW LOCATIONS COULD GET ADDED?
The Fortnite map looks set to see some big changes with Fortnite season 8.
One of the teasers for Fortnite season 8 hinted at the addition of a volcano while another teased that ships could added to Battle Royale.
If that’s the case then maybe the earthquakes that have been happening have all been leading up to a huge one that will break up the map.
This could divide the current Fortnite map into lots of islands, with waterways in-between that ships could travel through.
It’s also been rumoured that Fortnite season 8 could see the addition of a new location called Sharky Shrubs and another temple POI.
While Wailing Woods has also, in the run up to Fortnite season 8, been decaying – with rumours it could be replaced with the volcano or a jungle.
Fortnite season 8 – Earthquakes have been hitting the Battle Royale map (Image: EPIC GAMES)
FORTNITE SEASON 8 – WILL THERE BE SERVER DOWNTIME? WHAT TIME WILL FORTNITE GO DOWN AT?
It’s virtually guaranteed that there will be Fortnite server downtime ahead of the rollout of the season 8 Battle Pass.
The in-game countdown currently says Fortnite season 7 will end at 7am UK time on February 28.
It’s possible Fortnite servers will go down not long after that.
Fortnite downtime can last anywhere between one and three hours, depending all goes smoothly.
Fortnite season 8 – Could the mysterious cracken appear during the new Battle Pass? (Image: EPIC GAMES)
A new Fortnite Battle Pass launch is the biggest kind of update the game can get so servers will likely be down for a few hours at least.
Previously with more recent Battle Pass launches Fortnite servers went down around 9am UK time.
Maybe Epic Games have brought this forward as there is plenty getting added with Fortnite season 8?
Either way Fortnite fans should hopefully be able to jump in and play season 8 anywhere between 10am and 12pm UK time on Thursday February 28.
• Stay tuned to Express.co.uk for more Fortnite news and Fortnite season 8 updates ahead of the big launch