When you look at how many Fortnite seasons there are, the sheer number can feel overwhelming—the list is gigantic. Each update brings something different, but no matter what, it’s always memorable. And despite all the changes, the cycle of anticipation and hype never really slows down.

This guide should bring you up to speed on Fortnite’s timeline and how the game has reinvented itself multiple times.

What Are Fortnite Seasons?

Like many other live-service games, each Fortnite season lasts a couple of months, shipping with a brand-new Battle Pass, map, loot pool changes, and events when it drops. Ultimately, seasons are what make the game so unpredictable.

You never know if you’ll log in to find superheroes dominating POIs or medieval castles replacing neon cities. Every season in Fortnite feels like an event. It also ties into Fortnite esports, which are competitive metas that can swing wildly based on a single loot change.

The Battle Pass also refreshes every season, and pulls you through weeklies and side quests, while mid-season updates change things up with a weapon or a POI adjustment. These steady updates are the glue holding all Fortnite seasons together.

How Long Is a Fortnite Season Typically?

An average Fortnite season lasts about 80–90 days, but there have been quite a few exceptions. For example, Chapter 2 Season 1 stretched to 128 days, the longest by far. In contrast, the shortest season was Fortnite OG in 2023, which lasted only 29 days.

If you line up all Fortnite seasons, you’ll see how inconsistent the lengths really are. Chapter 2 had long stretches, Chapter 3 averaged about 90 days, and Chapter 5 held steady at around 83 days. Now that Fortnite Chapter 7 dropped on November 30, things feel even more unpredictable.

All Fortnite Seasons & Chapter Start & End Dates

Here’s a complete list of every Fortnite Chapter and Season released to date, including their respective start and end dates, and durations.

Fortnite Seasons & Chapters Reinvent The Game

Each new Fortnite update brings something different to shake up the battle royale game. Over the years, we’ve seen weapons, vehicles, and mechanics come and go (some of which lasted only a season or chapter), while others defined entire eras.

It’s clear that Epic Games isn’t afraid to throw wild experiments at players, either—even if it means scrapping them later. Looking back across all Fortnite chapters, the game’s identity has shifted constantly, but its DNA remains the same. That’s why it’s still thriving all these years later.

Chapter 1: Where It All Began

When Fortnite Battle Royale launched in September 2017, nobody expected it to blow up as it did. The first few seasons were simple compared to today’s chaos, but they built the foundation that turned Fortnite into the giant it is now.

• Season 1 (Oct–Dec 2017): No real theme yet, just a basic Battle Pass with cosmetic rewards. Players were still learning how the game worked.
• Season 2 (Dec 2017–Feb 2018): Medieval theme, first proper Battle Pass, and the rise of cosmetic hunting.
• Season 3 (Feb–Apr 2018): Space theme. Players started taking Fortnite more seriously, and big events were teased.
• Season 4 (May–Jul 2018): Superhero theme, the first cinematic storytelling season with the meteor crash and the introduction of big lore events.
• Season 5 (Jul–Sep 2018): Time and worlds colliding. The “Rift” mechanic changed the map with desert biomes and new POIs.

By Chapter 1 Season 5, Fortnite had already become the “next big thing.” Fortnite streamers like Ninja were pulling millions of viewers, and crossovers with major franchises like Marvel started sneaking in. These early seasons were clunky but magical, and set the stage for everything to come.

Chapter 2: Bigger Maps, Bigger Events

Fortnite Chapter 2 began in October 2019, boasting a brand-new map, fishing, swimming, and even boats. It felt like a “soft reboot,” giving players a fresh playground after two years of updates to the original island.

• Season 1: The longest season ever, running 128 days. It gave players time to explore the new island, but also frustrated many who thought updates were too slow.
• Season 2: “Top Secret” spy theme. Henchmen, keycards, and bosses with Mythic weapons became the new standard.
• Season 3: The map flooded, introducing Aquaman and water gameplay.
• Season 4: A full Marvel takeover with Thor, Iron Man, and Galactus in one of the most iconic Fortnite events ever.
• Season 5: Hunters from different realities. Crossovers exploded, like with The Mandalorian, Kratos, Master Chief, and more.

This Fortnite chapter cemented the game’s crossover identity. No other game could casually throw Marvel, Star Wars, and Halo together on the same map. It was really something else for fans. That’s why so many players still revisit this part of Fortnite season history as a turning point.

Chapter 3: Short But Packed

Chapter 3 flipped the map (literally) and ran from December 2021 to December 2022. It was shorter than expected but packed with new ideas.

• Season 1: Sliding and Spider-Man’s web-shooters changed movement forever.
• Season 2: Resistance introduced Zero Build, turning Fortnite into two games at once: one with building and one without.
• Season 3: Vibin brought summer vibes with new biomes and the Reality Tree.
• Season 4: Paradise had the Chrome takeover the map, leading to one of the trippiest events where the whole island fractured.

Zero Build was the real game-changer here. Many thought it would flop, but it became one of Fortnite’s most popular modes and is still a core part of the game today. This was also the shortest of every Fortnite chapter, but one of the most influential.

Chapter 4: Medieval And Modern

Chapter 4 launched in December 2022 with Unreal Engine 5 upgrades, making Fortnite look better than ever. The island leaned on a medieval theme, but with futuristic touches.

• Season 1: Introduced castles, dirt bikes, and the ability to soar across the map with Shockwave Hammers.
• Season 2: Brought a Mega City, a neon Japanese cyberpunk hub that became an instant fan favorite.
• Season 3: Added jungle ruins and raptors you could ride.
• Season 4: Last Resort had a heist theme, complete with vault-cracking and boss encounters in a crime drama-style season.

This chapter demonstrates how Epic can balance contrasting themes, transitioning from medieval castles to neon Tokyo and Indiana Jones-style jungle temples. It’s a perfect example of the chaos and variety that all Fortnite chapters are known for.

Chapter 5: Some Big Changes

Chapter 5 was one of the boldest shifts ever. Epic rebuilt animations from the ground up, even changing how running and aiming felt. While movement was initially controversial due to clunky walking animations, Fortnite Chapter 5 still stands as a massive turning point.

Season 1 introduced a brand-new map, weapons with mods, and unique POIs that pushed the game into a hybrid between arcade and tactical shooter genres. Later seasons doubled down on variety:

• Season 2 expanded across Battle Royale and Lego.
• Season 3 leaned into car combat, turning matches even more chaotic.
• Season 4 added Marvel characters that shook competitive balance.

And then came Fortnite Remix, the nostalgia-driven mode that revisited Chapter 2 with a modern twist. Pumps, Rocket Launchers, and old loot returned, but the map was plastered with rapper collabs and neon branding. This is the fun chaos that comes with all Fortnite seasons.

Chapter 6: Experiments and Nostalgia

Fortnite Chapter 6 ran from December 2024 to November 2025 and pushed the game in a more experimental direction. It added parkour-style movement, crime heists, full Star Wars and The Simpsons mini-seasons, and a bug invasion.

• Season 1: 鬼 HUNTERS (Demon Hunters) – a Japan-inspired island with shrines, neon cities, yokai fantasy, and new parkour moves like kicks, scrambling, and roll landings.
• Season 2: Lawless – Crime city and heist-focused POIs, moving trains, armored cars, and vaults that turned mid-game into bank-robbery chaos
• Mini Season 1: Galactic Battle – a Star Wars mini-season with Force powers, mythic lightsabers, themed POIs, and a Death Star event.
• Season 3: Super – a clean superhero fantasy with Superman anchoring the Battle Pass, utopian and superpower mythics clashing against demonic powers.
• Season 4: Shock ‘N Awesome – a full-scale bug invasion where O.X.R. forces faced swarms across new hives, labs, and outposts.
• Mini-season 2: Simpsons – a shorter follow-up mini-season built around The Simpsons collab, taking place on Springfield Island.

Overall, Chapter 6 leaned into movement, heists, big collabs, and nostalgia. It lets players bounce between fast-paced modern seasons, Star Wars and Simpsons events, and a permanent OG mode.

Chapter 7: What We Know So Far

Fortnite Chapter Seven: Pacific Break went live on November 30, 2025, following the Zero Hour chapter-finale live event later that same day, which also closed out the The Simpsons crossover mini-season.

The new Battle Royale island is the Golden Coast, leaning into a West Coast, cameras-rolling vibe (with named locations like Battlewood Boulevard and Wonkeeland). On the gameplay side, the chapter introduced Storm Surfing as the opening drop method, plus new mobility like Wingsuits and hot air balloon.

The big crossover for the launch window is Kill Bill: Quentin Tarantino’s “The Lost Chapter: Yuki’s Revenge”, which premiered in Fortnite on November 30, 2025. The Chapter 7 Season 1 Battle Pass is currently slated to run until March 19, 2026.

Chapters vs Seasons: A Beginner Explainer

A Fortnite chapter is a major reset. It usually introduces a brand-new island (or a dramatic overhaul), refreshed core systems, and a new long-term direction for Battle Royale. Chapters are the big structural shifts in the game’s history.

A Fortnite season is the shorter cycle inside that chapter. Seasons bring a new Battle Pass, a distinct theme, loot pool changes, mid-season updates, and live events. This is why the numbering resets when a new chapter begins. For example, Chapter 4 Season 1 is not the first season in Fortnite history — it is simply the first season of Chapter 4.

Special Seasons: OG, Remix, and Mini-Seasons Explained

Not every season follows the normal 10–12 week cadence. Fortnite also does special seasons — shorter, heavily themed runs that exist to shake up pacing, revisit older maps, or build toward a bigger transition.

Here’s the clean breakdown:

• Season OG: A throwback season built around classic Fortnite vibes and a fast-moving nostalgia schedule (it’s modern Fortnite doing an “OG” month, not the original Chapter 1 seasons).
• Remix: Another throwback-style special season, but framed around a specific era/theme (like a remixed Chapter throwback, often with weekly drops and a finale event).
• Mini-seasons: Shorter “event seasons” that can sit inside a chapter and run more like a limited-time arc than a full-length season — often crossover-driven and designed to end cleanly before the next standard season starts.

Mini-Seasons and Special Seasons So Far

• Chapter 4 – Season OG (Special season): Nov 3, 2023 – Dec 2, 2023
• Chapter 5 – Season Remix (Special season): Nov 2, 2024 – Nov 30, 2024, ending with Remix: The Finale (a concert-style live event).
• Chapter 6 – Mini Season 1 (Mini-season): May 2, 2025 – Jun 7, 2025, culminating in Death Star Sabotage.
• Chapter 6 – Mini Season 2 (Mini-season): Nov 1, 2025 – Nov 29, 2025.

Chapter Finales and Biggest Live Events

Fortnite’s biggest moments usually land in chapter finales (the “end of an era” event that sets up the next reset) or major mid-chapter live events (the ones players still reference years later).

Fortnite Chapter Finales

• Chapter 1: The End (Black Hole) — Oct 13, 2019
• Chapter 2: The End (Chapter 2 Finale) — Dec 4, 2021
• Chapter 3: Fracture — Dec 3, 2022
• Chapter 4: The Big Bang — Dec 2, 2023
• Chapter 5: Remix: The Finale — Nov 30, 2024
• Chapter 6: Zero Hour — Nov 29, 2025

New Games Within Fortnite

What really sets Fortnite apart from other live service games right now is how it’s not just a Battle Royale anymore. Fortnite is a whole platform with multiple genres living under one launcher, which helps keep the game alive. Alongside Battle Royale, Epic has added:

• Lego Fortnite: A survival-building mode that feels like a mash-up of Minecraft and adventure RPGs.
• Fortnite Festival: A music rhythm game where players perform songs and even jam with friends.
• Rocket Racing: A full arcade racer built into Fortnite.
• Fall Guys Creative: Player-mode obstacle courses using UEFN tools inspired by Fall Guys.

Some of these even have their own season counts, creating a split timeline. That’s why all Fortnite seasons today feel more varied than ever since players aren’t just keeping track of Battle Royale but also modes that live side-by-side.

All Fortnite Season Themes

Themes are what tie Fortnite seasons together, and Epic rarely repeats itself. Chapter 2 Season 6 was Primal, with crafting and makeshift weapons. Chapter 3 Season 4 leaned into chrome and sci-fi. Chapter 5, Season 2, brought a mythological vibe.

And recently, Chapter 6 Season 2 turned Fortnite into a crime drama with vaults and heists. Each one carries a handful of signature items you immediately associate with specific Fortnite chapters.

Fortnite mini-seasons have their own themes, too, like OG nostalgia or the current Simpsons takeover. Out of all Fortnite seasons, the themed Battle Passes and events keep players invested, even if the gameplay shifts aren’t always beloved.

Fortnite Map Changes

One of the most important things each Fortnite season brings is map updates. Epic knows players need variety when dropping into the same island every day. That’s why every Fortnite chapter has launched with a brand-new map, usually tied to a theme.

Chapter 1’s grassy fields gave way to Chapter 2’s fresh island. Chapter 3 flipped the map entirely. Chapter 4 went more medieval, while Chapter 5 leaned into modern cities and vehicles. Even smaller tweaks like adding Ballers, Choppas, or boats shaped the way matches played.

Fortnite vehicles evolved over time, from shopping carts to tanks, showing the game’s balance between silliness and intensity. And now in Chapter 6, the Japanese-inspired mountains and Star Wars POIs (thanks to the Disney deal) show just how far the art style and design have come.

How Fortnite Has Evolved Through Seasons and Chapters

When you step back and look at the bigger picture, Fortnite feels like a constantly changing platform. Each new season adds mechanics, items, and collabs, only for the next one to sometimes throw them out completely.

Crafting in Chapter 2, Season 6, was gone in a single update. Car combat dominated Chapter 5 Season 3, but vanished right after. And then, Fortnite Zero Build, which was a feature no one expected, stuck around and became a whole other way to play.

This pattern is what defines every Fortnite chapter. Some are short experiments, while others redefine the game permanently. It makes Fortnite feel alive, even if it frustrates players who fall in love with mechanics that vanish.

FAQs

How many seasons are in Fortnite?

With Chapter 7 Season 1 (Pacific Break), Fortnite entered Season 39 across seven chapters, including mini-seasons.

How long is a Fortnite season?

On average, a Fortnite season lasts between 10 and 12 weeks. Sometimes Epic stretches out the timeline to three or even four months, especially in the early days when delays occurred. In some cases, such as mini-seasons, season durations are far shorter, lasting roughly 30 days.

What is the current season of Fortnite?

As of January 2026, the current Fortnite Battle Royale season is Chapter 7: Season 1—”Pacific Break.”

When did Fortnite Chapter 1 start and end?

Fortnite Chapter 1 started on October 26, 2017, and ended on October 13, 2019, after Season X (Season 10) and the famous Black Hole event that shut down the game for two days. It was the game’s first-ever season.

What was the longest Fortnite season?

The longest season in Fortnite history was Chapter 2 – Season 1, which ran for 128 days from October 2019 to February 2020. It felt exceptionally long because it was the first time Epic had rebooted the map, and updates slowed while they adjusted to the new chapter.

What was the shortest Fortnite season?

The shortest was Chapter 4 – Season OG, which lasted just 30 days in November 2023. It was a special nostalgia event that brought back the original Chapter 1 map and items.

When did each Fortnite chapter release?

Here’s a list of Fortnite Chapter release and end dates:

• Chapter 1: October 2017 – October 2019
• Chapter 2: October 2019 – December 2021
• Chapter 3: December 2021 – December 2022
• Chapter 4: December 2022 – December 2023
• Chapter 5: December 2023 – November 2024
• Chapter 6: December 2024 – November 2025
• Chapter 7: November 2025 – TBD

How are Fortnite chapters different from seasons?

Think of Fortnite seasons as regular updates with new battle passes, mechanics, and storylines. Chapters are the big resets, and they usually bring a brand-new map, engine changes, or massive overhauls.