Epic Games released Fortnite‘s Chapter 3, Season 2 update overnight. The update introduces numerous new mechanics including parkour and mantling, a combat sprint that lets you barge through doors, and several new vehicles like tanks and helicopters. On the face of it, it appears to be a Fortnite update like any other. It rotates loot the pool and makes changes to the game’s evolving Chapter 3 map.
What is out of the ordinary is how many problems have sprung up in the wake of the update’s launch. As the Fortnite update began to roll out, players across all platforms began reporting issues with logging in. Some were suspended in endless queues and never dropped into the game. Epic was forced to limit the number of players getting into the game while it investigated.
We’re continuing to investigate a server issue preventing us from opening up Fortnite game servers for everyone to log-in.
Players should be able to hop in and play Chapter 3 Season 2 without error. pic.twitter.com/QKZe1Dzw9L
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) March 20, 2022
Then the matchmaking broke.
We’re investigating issues related to partying up with Friends and matchmaking.
We’ll update this thread when service has returned to normal. pic.twitter.com/MqJ6vtEEcZ
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) March 20, 2022
This investigation went on for most of the night.
We’re continuing to work on server issues that are causing players to experience a long queue time.
These times can vary as we continue our investigations, and we’ll provide an update when this is resolved. pic.twitter.com/m3RA6UzWYi
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) March 20, 2022
Thankfully, as of this morning, it seems Epic has finally gotten to the bottom of whatever was causing its login issues.
The server issues resulting in long queue times and matchmaking errors have been resolved.
The problems didn’t stop there, however. Those players that were able to access the game found all the new vehicles were in a bit of a state. So Epic began to investigate that too. As of this morning, this issue has not been rectified.
We’re aware of an issue where players with multiple Movement keybinds may be unable to operate a Tank.
While we work on a fix for this, we recommend revising your Movement keybinds to only one button press. pic.twitter.com/bsCWVjEO8h
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) March 20, 2022
We’re aware of an issue where Vehicles may stop moving or hitch erratically despite driving on smooth terrain. pic.twitter.com/pgBGoVheAM
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) March 20, 2022
Both of these issues persist this morning, with the Epic Support Twitter account providing updates as new information comes to hand. Basically, for now, you can play, but the vehicles might be a bit cooked.
Epic isn’t a stranger to new patch problems. They happen to everyone. But this is rather beyond the scope of issues Epic usually faces when it pushes a new Fortnite update. Most of the time, the days following a new season update are all about small stability changes or tweaks to weapon balance. What we see here are issues on another level and, though it seems Epic is moving quickly to get everything rectified, they are nevertheless wildly out of character. Epic is big enough that it can usually avoid launch day problems like this, so to see it stumble is noteworthy. I’d love to know what went on behind the scenes to cause it all.
All being well, everything will be resolved and the game will be back to normal operations later today.
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