The Countdown in 'Fortnite' Marks an Epic End and a New Beginning for the Game
Published Nov. 24 2021, 2:15 p.m. ET
Events in Fortnite tend to be momentous occasions for the player base. A new season or chapter around the corner is usually signified with special collaborations or new updates to the popular battle royale game. But when an event is bigger than the rest, that's when the in-game countdown starts.
Fortnite is a free-to-play online title from Epic Games. While the game as a whole features multiple game modes like co-op missions or sandbox game creation, Fortnite is best known for its Battle Royale matches. Here, up to 100 players face off against each other in an ever-shrinking arena. You can play solo or in a squad to see who can come out on top using various wacky weapons and constructs.
In its fourth year, Fortnite has gone through several updates and new iterations. Another big change is just around the corner, and the clock is ticking until we can see what it is.
What is the countdown in 'Fortnite'?
Fortnite is currently on Chapter 2: Season 8, also known as Season 18. The season started in September 2021, and the game entered the "Cubed" chapter, in which evil Cubes began to corrupt the island on which the game takes place. Along with various new weapons and enemies, this new season saw special Halloween events and even collaborations with Marvel anti-hero Venom to coincide with the character's new film that was released in October 2021. Fortnite also had a collaboration with the Naruto anime.
On Nov. 24, 2021, a giant countdown appeared in the in-game sky, with approximately 10 days left on the clock. This reportedly heralds the end of the players' conflict with the Cubes. The official Epic Games site reads, "With The Convergence complete, The Cube Queen prepares her endgame for the Island and nothing will ever be the same."
The final battle with the Cubes is on the horizon, and with it, the end of Fortnite Chapter 2. Appropriately, the event at the end of the countdown is called "The End."
What will happen in "The End"? And what comes after?
The upcoming event will have players team up in squads of up to 16. You'll be able to work together with players from around the world to put a stop to the corruption on the Island. Certain quests like the Cube Queen's Pages 1 and 2 won't be available once the current season ends, so players will want to take care of any housekeeping before heading into "The End." Players will also receive 225,000 XP for logging in before the end of the season.
Though official details on the future of Fortnite are light, popular content creator HYPEX mined some tentative leaks for Chapter 3. Rumors seem to suggest that Fortnite will have collaborations with both The Matrix film series and everyone's favorite web-slinger, Spider-Man. These rumors certainly have some credibility, as both franchises have films coming out in December 2021 with The Matrix Resurrections and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
"The End" takes place in Fortnite on December 4, 2021.