Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2 update: Release date, rumors, more

Albert Petrosyan
Epic Games

Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 2 is just weeks away, with the game’s next major update scheduled to go live on PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices in late February.

After 10 seasons, Epic Games completely revamped the popular battle royale title’s map and unveiled Chapter 2, a new dawn for a game that has revolutionized the space and became a pop culture phenomenon.

Taking out tons of weapons, vehicles, and tools that players had gotten used too, Chapter 2 was a return to a stripped-down version of the title first seen in the early seasons in 2018, and while players enjoyed this return to a more simplistic version of the game, Season 1 has now lasted longer than any that came before it, and many are anxious for the new season to inject some new life into the franchise.

Battle Bus headed towards Fortnite island
Epic Games introduced a new island to kick off Chapter 2.

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When does Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 1 end?

Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 1 is officially the longest ever, with Epic Games confirming that it will have lasted for a staggering four months by the time it comes to its conclusion on Thursday, February 20, 2020.

Fans of the game are used to delays at the end of 10-week seasons, with the developers often utilizing a week or two of Overtime challenges to draw proceedings to a close, giving players a final chance to earn new rewards from their Battle Pass while they finish work on the major update that launches at the start of every new season.

The expected 10 weeks would have taken the game into the festive season, so it was no surprise that Epic Games decided to extend Chapter 2, Season 1 into the new year. Few could have expected that another two months would pass before Season 2 officially kicked off though, with many players, and streamers like Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, begging for a new update after feeling that the game has grown stale due to the length of the current season.

Fortnite characters driving a speed boat.
Many players feel the game has grown stale due to the length of Season 1.

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When does Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 2 start?

While Epic Games confirmed that Season 1 ends on February 20, the developers didn’t go as far as giving us an official start date for Season 2, although we now have a rough idea as to when we can expect it.

It seems likely that Season 2 will start as soon as the first one ends, meaning we will likely get a major update on February 20. This would line up with previous seasons, where major updates have released on a Thursday, although usually the previous chapter has ended on the Tuesday prior.

Of course, the developers have made players wait for days in the past before, with Season X ending on a Sunday, leaving players staring at a black hole for two entire days before rebooting with Chapter 2, much to the delight of fans.

Fortnite players firing weapons at opponents.
Fortnite’s Season 2 is expected to kick off on February 20.

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What will be added in Fortnite, Chapter 2, Season 2?

So Far, Epic Games have remained tight-lipped about what players can expect when the action kicks off on February 20, but they have teased that they have some major secrets lined up for the new season, but just can’t tell fans about them yet.

As always, players will also be able to purchase a brand-new Battle Pass stuffed full of new cosmetics and emotes, and new Missions to help fans of the game get to grips with the changes made.

One of the biggest changes expected to affect Season 2 has already happened, with Epic Games switching physics systems for the first time since the popular battle royale game launched. In the 11.50 Update released on February 5, the developers switched to the Chaos physics system, and while many expected this to cause major issues and perhaps change the game entirely, it ended up being a smooth transition, with little to no changes to how the title is played.

Fortnite characters fishing
Fortnite is moving to a new physics engine which could change how the game feels forever.

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What’s happening in the final weeks of Chapter 2, Season 1?

With just a few weeks left, Epic Games have made sure that players have plenty of things to keep themselves occupied with until the new season launches.

Introduced with the 11.50 Update, Fortnite is currently in the middle of the Love and War event, which introduced a brand-new set of challenges for players to take on, along with some awesome free rewards including cosmetic items for those who grind their way through them and complete the tasks set out by the developers.

On top of that, Epic Games also added a new mode for players to sink their teeth into, with those familiar with Call of Duty able to play Search and Destroy in the game for the first time. Players earn gold which they can spend on weapons and materials, which each map featuring two bomb sites. Attacking teams must make it to a site, plant the bomb and stop the defending team from defusing, while defense sees them trying to stop those with the explosives at all costs.

Players can also get their hands on a special Harley Quinn skin to celebrate the release of DC’s latest movie Birds of Prey from the in-game store, with new challenges available to unlock the character’s look from Suicide Squad.

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About The Author

Albert is a former esports and gaming writer, focused particularly on Call of Duty and content creators. Spending over three years at Dexerto, Albert eventually now works with streamer NICKMERCS and the MFAM group. You can find Albert @AlbertoRavioli on Twitter.