- The Fortnite 40.20 update will release on April 16, 2026, at 4 PM ET.
- The update adds Showdown Act 2 with new weapons and items to unlock by completing Rivalries.
- The 40.20 update will also transition Fortnite Save the World to a free-to-play mode.
Epic Games is gearing up to release the Fortnite 40.20 update this week. The massive new patch initiates the next phase of the ongoing Showdown theme, while also finally making Fortnite Save the World free-to-play. Wondering about what to expect from the Fortnite 40.20 update? Here’s a full breakdown of what we know so far.
Fortnite v40.20 Update Downtime Details
Downtime for the Fortnite 40.20 update is expected to begin on April 16, 2026, at 4 AM ET, which is when the game will undergo a scheduled downtime of 2-3 hours.
Matchmaking and other services will be taken down 30 minutes before downtime begins. Servers are expected to be back up around 7 AM ET.
Fortnite April 16 Update Early Patch Notes for v40.20
The 40.20 update will be much more content-rich than the previous patch, the Fortnite 40.10 update, which was largely focused on the OG mode and the April Fools update.
Showdown Act 2
Act 1 of the Fortnite Showdown Rivalries has concluded, with Team Ice King defeating Team Foundation in the first leg of this season-wide event and unlocking items like the Ice King vault card and the Foundation’s Rift Rifle.
Now, Act 2 is about to officially kick off, focusing on the return of Daigo and the Elites. This act will bring a new set of milestones for players on both teams to complete. Epic Games has already revealed the weapons and items players will be able to unlock through the Fortnite Showdown Rivalry event:
Team Ice King
- New Revolver
- Recon Scanner
- Reforged Infinity Blade
- Slipstreams
Team Foundation
- Super Shredder Shotgun
- New Building Mechanic
- New Projectile Launcher
- New Sanctuary POI Update
Fortnite Reload Elite Stronghold Map
The return of Daigo and the Elites will not be limited to the main Battle Royale mode, as the Fortnite 40.20 update will also bring the Reload Elite Stronghold map. This new map will allow players to battle it out on the Elites’ base of operations, and the good news for competitive players is that they can compete to get in before anyone else.
Players who reach Elite or higher rank in Fortnite Reload will gain early access to the Elite Stronghold map on April 18, 2026. The map will be made available to all players 48 hours after, on April 20, 2026.
Stone Cold Steve Austin and Liv Morgan WWE Skins
The Fortnite 40.20 update will also bring another round of WWE collaboration skins to the game, with Stone Cold Steve Austin making his way to the Fortnite Item Shop soon after the update goes live. Epic Games has already revealed a look at the skin, featuring Stone Cold’s iconic Austin 3:16 aesthetic, coupled with his beer chug emote, which features Slurp Juice instead of actual beer.
According to leaks, the Stone Cold Steve Austin skin will also be accompanied by Liv Morgan, bringing her punk-inspired wrestling vibe to the Item Shop. However, this has not been confirmed by Epic Games yet.
Ballistic & Festival Battle Stage Removed
The Fortnite 40.20 update will not only add new content, but will also take content out of the game. Fortnite Ballistic and Festival Battle Stage will both sunset with the new patch. This was announced by Epic Games along with the recent layoffs, explaining how the modes failed to gain a substantial audience for them to continue maintaining them. Rocket Racing is also set to be removed from the Fortnite ecosystem, but that is not set to take place until October 2026.
Fortnite Endgame LTM Removed
The return of the Fortnite Endgame LTM was a short-lived nostalgia trip. With the Fortnite 40.20 update, the 16v16 clash between the Avengers and Thanos’ Chitauri army will return to the vault once again. This means that players who have not completed the Fortnite Endgame quests will miss out on any bonus free XP they haven’t claimed yet.
New Fortnite Icon Skins: Reddysh, Moxie, and Sommerset
With the release of the next major Fortnite patch, Epic will also add Icon skins for streamers Sommerset, Moxie, and Reddysh. The skins will be up for grabs for free through the Triple Threat Cup before coming to the Fortnite Item Shop on April 17, 2026, at 8 PM ET.
New Weekly Quests
The 40.20 update will also introduce a new set of weekly quests for Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2. These quests will allow players to gain an XP boost for the Showdown Battle Pass and also possibly provide hints towards the next Fortnite live event.
Fortnite Save the World Free-to-Play Update Notes
After an insanely long wait, the Fortnite 40.20 update will also transition Fortnite Save the World to a free-to-play mode. The mode, which was the original vision for Fortnite before the Battle Royale genre took over, was in early access until 2020 and then transitioned to a paid experience.
Players will be able to team up and battle Husks, build their bases up, and complete objectives to progress their character and the overall story of Fortnite Save the World. Since the Save the World community milestone event has hit the final goal, all players will receive the Snowstrike Hero when they load into the mode for the first time.
Fortnite Festival Season 14 Update Notes
With the Chappell Roan madness leaving Fortnite Festival, pop-jazz sensation Laufey is all set to take the stage in Season 14 of the rhythm-based gamemode. Not only will this bring a complete thematic overhaul of the Festival mode’s aesthetics, but it will also bring the Season 14 Music Pass.
Players can expect to see two different Laufey outfits, with one being featured in the Music Pass while the other will be made available through the Fortnite Item Shop. In addition to the skins, players can also expect a bunch of Laufey’s songs to be turned into Jam Tracks for players to perform on the main stage. The Season 14 Music Pass will also feature instruments like microphones themed around Laufey and her aesthetic.
LEGO Fortnite NINJAGO Embers of Chaos Update Notes
The LEGO Fortnite NINJAGO madness continues with the 40.20 update. The next phase of the NINJAGO collaboration, titled Embers of Chaos, will expand on the Rise of the Ninja phase of the crossover.
According to the teaser trailer, the update will add brand new weapons, friendly dragons, and structures for players to unlock through the LEGO Ninjago Pass. Players will master the element of fire while learning new Spin-Jitsu stances, allowing them to take on even more formidable bosses than the Fire Dragon.
What are you most excited about in the new Fortnite update? Tell us in the comments below!
