When does Fortnite Chapter 3 start? Release date, Battle Pass & leaks
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, butChapter 2of 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 anexplosive live event, it’s been confirmed by the devs atEpic Gamesthat 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.
When does Fortnite Chapter 3 begin?
Fortnite Chapter 3 isexpectedto begin onSunday, June 02, 2025, at 10am ETfollowing a day of downtime caused by the Chapter 2 finale – we’ve got arecap 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-changingChapter 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.
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A leakedtrailerfor 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 7teaserfrom 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 avideothat 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 aThrowable Axeand a potential ‘buffed’ version of the Flint-Knock Pistol.
It’s also beenteasedby 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?
A leakedtrailerrevealed that after months of rumors,Spider-Manwill 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 byThe 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 fromMetroid, Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, The Bride from Kill Bill, and even Lady Gaga, who wasrumoredto have a live concert like Ariana Grande.
Here are the collabs that were mentioned in the Apple v. Epic documents but didn’t happen yet, most likely all for Chapter 3!
Which ones are you looking forward to the most? 👀pic.twitter.com/noYThRUBdU
— HYPEX (@HYPEX)June 21, 2025
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 ourdedicated Fortnite home pagefor the latest leaks, news, and guides.
