Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2, dubbed Showdown, launched on March 19, 2026, bringing a new rivalry system, refreshed map, updated loot pool, and a Battle Pass headlined by The Foundation and the Ice King.
After nearly four months of Chapter 7 Season 1, one of the longest seasons in Fortnite’s history, the wait for something new is finally over. Season 2 brings a story-driven conflict between two iconic characters, a major shakeup to the weapon pool, and several new gameplay mechanics that change how each match plays out. Here is everything you need to know about Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2: Showdown.
Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2: Key Details
| Detail | Info |
| Season Name | Showdown |
| Season | Chapter 7 Season 2 |
| Start Date | March 19, 2026 |
| End Date | June 5, 2026 (per dataminers) |
| Patch Version | v40.00 |
| Battle Pass Price | 800 V-Bucks |
| Platforms | PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch, Android (Google Play), iOS |
| Battle Pass Exclusive Deadline | March 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET |
Fortnite Returns to Google Play Store
One of the biggest announcements tied to the Season 2 launch is that Fortnite has officially returned to the Google Play Store worldwide on March 19, 2026, after approximately six years away due to Epic Games’ legal dispute with Google. Android players can now download Fortnite directly from the Google Play Store without needing any sideloading workarounds.
To celebrate the mobile return, players can unlock a free Yeddy skin by completing a set of short mobile-only missions after downloading the game from Google Play. These missions typically include playing matches, earning XP, or completing simple tasks on mobile. Check your in-game quests after launching on Android to see the full list of requirements.
Note that the Yeddy skin and associated mobile missions are tied to the Android Google Play return specifically and are not available via iOS due to platform restrictions in certain regions.
The full confirmed platform list for Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2 is as follows:
| Platform | Access |
| PlayStation 5 / PS4 | PlayStation Store |
| Xbox Series X/S / Xbox One | Microsoft Store |
| PC | Epic Games Store |
| Nintendo Switch | Nintendo eShop |
| Android | Google Play Store (returned March 19, 2026) |
| iOS | App Store (select regions) / Epic direct |
Fortnite Season 2 Server Downtime and Launch Times
Server downtime for the v40.00 patch began at 2 AM ET on March 19, lasting approximately five hours. Here is a full breakdown of launch times by region:
| Region | Downtime Start | Expected Return |
| US East (ET) | 2:00 AM | 7:00 AM |
| US West (PT) | 11:00 PM (March 18) | 4:00 AM |
| UK (GMT) | 6:00 AM | 11:00 AM |
| Europe (CET) | 7:00 AM | 12:00 PM |
| Gulf (GST) | 10:00 AM | 3:00 PM |
| China (CST) | 3:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| Japan (JST) | 4:00 PM | 9:00 PM |
PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players were able to pre-download the update ahead of downtime starting at 8 PM ET on March 18. Other platforms could download the update once downtime began.
The Showdown: Season Story and Team Rivalry
The central theme of Chapter 7 Season 2 is a conflict between two iconic Fortnite characters: The Foundation (voiced and modelled after Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) and the Ice King, a villain returning from Chapter 1. The story goes that the Ice King had The Foundation frozen in a block of ice, and now The Foundation is back and none too pleased about it.
When you first log into Season 2, you will be prompted to choose a side: Team Foundation or Team Ice King. The team that earns the most points through defeating rivals over the course of the season will unlock a bonus Battle Pass skin for all pass owners. The two potential rewards are:
- Frost-Ready Foundation (if Team Foundation wins)
- Exalted Frost Ice King (if Team Ice King wins)
Only one of these skins will be obtainable permanently, so choose your team carefully. It is also worth noting that you cannot switch teams after making your initial choice, so commit thoughtfully from the start.
As teams accumulate points through rival defeats throughout the season, seasonal weapons, items, and rewards progressively unlock for everyone on that team as mid-season milestones are reached, not just at the end.
Showdown Website: Community Goals and Real Prizes
The showdown.fortnite.com website serves as the central hub for tracking Season 2’s team rivalry event. Here is what it offers:
- Live standings for Team Foundation vs. Team Ice King across the entire player base
- Personal quest tracking for your weekly Showdown challenges
- Free rewards: Registering on the site grants a free spray
- Weekly leaderboard prizes: Top performers each week earn real-world prizes, including an RTX 5080 graphics card
- Community milestones: As teams hit certain collective point thresholds, additional rewards unlock for contributing players mid-season
New Gameplay Features in Fortnite Showdown
Rivalry System
Rivalry Screens have been added across the Battle Royale island. Interacting with one lets you declare a rival for that match. Defeating your rival earns Rival Credits, which you can spend on Rivalry Gear at dedicated machines, including exotic weapons. The more rivals you defeat, the higher your Rivalry Rank, which unlocks better loot.
Players who prefer to avoid confrontation can simply skip the Rivalry Screens entirely. Epic has confirmed that ignoring them makes you significantly less likely to be targeted by other players.
Drive the Battle Bus
Each match, one player is randomly selected to drive the Battle Bus and decide its flight path. Flying through rings grants the entire lobby bonus XP and spawns Supply Drops. Other players can also tip the driver for additional XP.
Rift Anomalies
These are match-wide events that affect all players simultaneously. The three confirmed types are:
- Rivalry Rumble: Activates island-wide rivalries for all players
- Storm Focus: Reveals the final zone location early
- Stabilize Anomaly: Rewards loot after players defeat drones
An Arenas mode is also confirmed to be arriving later in the season.
Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2 Map Changes
The Season 2 map is largely based on the Season 1 layout, but four named locations have been replaced:
| Old Location | New Location |
| Bumpy Bay | Squibbly Shores |
| Clawsy Lodge | Frigid Fortress (Ice King’s base) |
| Classified Canyon | New Sanctuary (a reference to the Chapter 3 map) |
| Lethal Labs | Dark Dominion |
Frigid Fortress is the most significant new addition, serving as the Ice King’s home base and housing the Ice King as a boss encounter.
Full New Loot Pool: All Weapons and Items
Nearly the entire Season 1 weapon pool has been replaced. Here is the complete confirmed list:
Brand New Weapons
| Weapon | Description |
| Vector 7 DMR | High-damage scoped rifle designed for long-range precision |
| Chaos Reloader Shotgun | Single-shot, high-damage shotgun that auto-reloads when not equipped |
| Bouncing Boomstick | Explosive that deals damage every time it bounces |
| Overdrive Grenade | Launches players into the air and grants temporary boosts to speed, reload, and fire rate. Causes fall damage if misused |
| Skyline Deployer | Shoots a zipline onto any surface or floating balloon. Any player can use or destroy it |
| Slapperoni Pizza | Throwable item that provides healing and a slap effect |
Mythic and Exotic Weapons
| Weapon | Description |
| Ice King’s Gauntlets | Dropped by the Ice King at Frigid Fortress. Fires ice projectiles and unleashes a large area ice storm |
| The Foundation’s Rift Rifle | An exotic Vector 7 DMR variant that spawns a rift at bullet impact locations |
| Seven Cluster Cannon | Fires a cluster of explosive shots after a charged delay |
| Seven Power Gloves | Mobility gauntlets with a Dash Punch and an Uppercut ability, both using regenerating charges |
Returning Weapons
Combat Assault Rifle, Nemesis AR, Chapter 1 Pistol, Thunder Burst SMG, Iron Pump Shotgun, Twin Hammer Shotguns, Twin Mag SMG, Mythic Goldfish, FlowBerry Mist Grenade, Port-A-Bunker (Zero Build only), Shield Bubble Jr. (Zero Build only)
Progressive Weapon Unlocks Throughout the Season
Beyond the weapons available at launch, over a dozen additional unvaulted weapons from previous Fortnite seasons will be introduced progressively throughout Chapter 7 Season 2: Showdown. These weapons will phase into the loot pool at different points during the season rather than all appearing on day one, so the meta will continue to shift as Showdown progresses.
Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2 Battle Pass
The Season 2 Battle Pass costs 800 V-Bucks, reduced from the previous standard of 1,000 V-Bucks, and is also available with a Fortnite Crew subscription.
Purchasing the Battle Pass instantly unlocks the Exalted Ice King skin. Players who buy the pass before March 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET will also receive the exclusive Stealth Tech Foundation bonus style and accessories, which will not be available after that date.
All Confirmed Battle Pass Skins
- The Foundation (Reforged) featuring the likeness of Dwayne Johnson
- Exalted Ice King
- Elite Jules
- The Order (Reforged)
- Lady Windfrost
- Squibbly (the squid boy sidekick)
- Dasha
- Bugs Bunny (Tier 100 skin, unlocked last)
Additional cosmetics across the pass include new Kicks, Back Blings, Gliders, Pickaxes, and a new Sidekick companion.
Quest Styles
Three skins offer additional styles unlocked through completing specific quests across game modes: The Foundation (Reforged), Exalted Ice King, and Elite Jules.
Save the World Goes Free-to-Play on April 16, 2026
Save the World, Fortnite’s original co-op survival mode, transitions to a free-to-play model on April 16, 2026. Several progression changes accompany this transition:
- Hero XP and Survivor XP will merge into a single unified People XP currency at a 1:1 exchange rate
- Ventures Research Tokens will no longer be earned from missions
- A simplified progression path is being introduced to improve onboarding for new players
- Founders retain all existing V-Bucks earning methods
- New players will receive tutorial rewards to help them get started
- Players can register at save-the-world.fortnite.com to participate in community milestone goals, which will unlock extras including the Snowstrike Hero when Free-to-Play launches
V-Bucks Price Change
Starting March 19, V-Bucks prices are increasing by 8% to 20% across platforms, with Epic citing rising operational costs. However, the Battle Pass V-Buck cost has been reduced from 1,000 to 800, partially offsetting the increase for regular Battle Pass buyers.
Known Issues at Launch (v40.00 Patch Notes)
Epic confirmed several known issues present at the start of Season 2:
- Emotes and Jam Tracks may not randomise correctly when the Loadout Randomiser is enabled
- Some players may be unable to Reboot Squad mates
- Ranked Back Bling, Umbrella, and Pickaxe styles may not unlock correctly when ranking up
- Windows broken with the MK-Seven Assault Rifle or Reaper Sniper Rifle may block player movement through them
- Mobile: The “Return to Lobby” button is missing after Blitz matches on some devices
- Mobile: Fortnite may not launch on first-time installs on some Google Pixel devices running Android 16
- Grass and foliage may not render consistently on Epic quality settings
You can access Fortnite for free via the Epic Games Store on PC, the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store on Xbox, the Nintendo eShop on Switch, and now the Google Play Store on Android.
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