Fortnite: The End Event, Black Hole And Server Downtime Explained

Where do we even begin in dissecting the world-ending events to have unfolded in Fortnite over the weekend?

Let’s start at the top.

As has traditionally always been the case, Epic Games rolls out major updates to its battle royale on a seasonal basis. These headline-grabbing additions to the game arrive every three months and, more often than not, are preceded by a special in-game event. Major map changes, bespoke new content and an influx of new cosmetics are par for the course with each new season, though there have always been constants. Until now, that is.

Ever since launch, Battle Island has remained the only playable map in Fortnite but as of yesterday, the entire region has ceased to be. That’s not hyperbole, either. Following weeks of fervent speculation and leaks pointing toward the destruction of Battle Island at the climax of Season X: Out of Time, that’s exactly what happened as part of the aptly-named The End event that concluded just a few hours ago.

In it, players witnessed the mysterious Visitor’s gargantuan rocket take to the skies just before a meteor – frozen in time since Season X’s beginning – resumed its downward trajectory and wiped out all living beings within an instant of impact.

The result? See for yourselves above. It’s live footage of Fortnite being broadcast across various social media channels and depicts nothing but what appears to be a black hole. The phenomenon is a neat approach to announcing server downtime, that’s for sure. For a tease of what to expect when the servers eventually return, see the gallery below.

As of writing, it’s currently unknown when Epic intends to resume service for Fortnite, but according to the best estimates of some knowledgable observers, fans could be waiting as long as four days.

With any luck, those suspicions will prove false as we, and no doubt many others, are itching to see Fortnite‘s rebirth, as it were. Watch this space for more.