Quick answer: Fortnite Treasure Hunters starts on Sunday, November 1. Epic has scheduled downtime for the v43.00 update from 05:00 to 08:00 UTC that morning, which is 1 AM ET (12 AM CT, or 10 PM PT on Saturday, October 31). Matchmaking switches off 30 minutes before that. Once servers are back, the first Captain’s Day begins at 9 AM ET (8 AM CT, 6 AM PT) on November 1.
Fortnite’s One Piece season is almost here. Epic confirmed the v43.00 downtime on its official status page on October 30, the same day it published the full rundown of Treasure Hunters on Fortnite.com. Here is exactly when you can play in your time zone, what to do before the servers go down, and what is waiting on the new Island.
Step 1: Check the v43.00 downtime in your time zone
Epic’s scheduled maintenance window for the v43.00 update runs from 05:00 to 08:00 UTC on November 1. Daylight saving time also ends in the US that same night, so the end of the window looks a little odd on the clock:
- ET: 1 AM EDT to 3 AM EST (Nov 1)
- CT: 12 AM CDT to 2 AM CST (Nov 1)
- PT: 10 PM PDT (Oct 31) to 1 AM PDT (Nov 1)
- UK: 5 AM to 8 AM GMT (Nov 1)
That window is Epic’s schedule, not a guarantee. Keep the Epic Games status page open to see when servers actually come back.
Step 2: Finish your matches 30 minutes early
Epic says matchmaking will be disabled 30 minutes before downtime begins. That means queues close at 12:30 AM ET, which is 11:30 PM CT or 9:30 PM PT on Saturday night. If you are grinding the last levels or challenges of the current season, plan to wrap up before then.
Step 3: Download the update and jump onto Crossbones Isle
When v43.00 goes live, Treasure Hunters brings a new 80-player Island called Crossbones Isle. You can visit Arlong Park and Windmill Village from One Piece and climb into cannons to launch yourself across the map. Two One Piece powers are in Battle Royale: Luffy’s Gum-Gum Fruit and Zoro’s Three Sword Style. A$AP Rocky also gets a battleship POI, the $.$. Rocky, along with his Shock Rocket.
Step 4: Be online for the first Captain’s Day
Captain’s Days are when Epic drops new weapons, Sprites and more onto the map. The first one kicks off with the season on November 1 at 9 AM ET (8 AM CT, 6 AM PT). More Captain’s Days follow on November 7, 12, 14 and 21. Epic is also running Mastery Mondays and Treasure Hours Sundays all season, which add Captain’s weapons to the start of every match along with boosted drops.
Step 5: Know what is in the Battle Pass and the Shop
The Battle Pass features Portgas D. Ace and Nico Robin, plus new anime looks for Jonesy, Cuddle Team Leader and Charlotte. If you gift the Battle Pass to a friend, you both get a bonus Dark Kawaii Team Leader Outfit style.
Shop dates from Epic:
- Season launch (Nov 1): Luffy, Nami and Usopp
- Nov 5, 7 PM ET: A$AP Rocky
- Nov 7: Zoro, Sanji and the Chopper Sidekick
- Nov 12: Lil Uzi Vert
- Nov 13: Buggy
- Nov 14: Kasane Teto and Cap’n Hatsune Miku
Step 6: Mark December 5 for the Chapter 7 finale
Each week a new captain arrives with a crew and POI: the Straw Hats and A$AP Rocky first, then Lil Uzi Vert, then Cap’n Hatsune Miku and Kasane Teto. Epic also teases hidden treasure, including whatever is inside Captain X’s mega chest. The big date to save is Saturday, December 5, when Epic says the Chapter 7 end event takes place.
Want the backstory? Read our report on the original Treasure Hunters announcement and our breakdown of the One Piece trailer that confirmed Luffy, Zoro, Nami and Usopp.
Sources: Epic Games, Fortnite.com (Oct 30, 2026); Epic Games status page, “Fortnite: Downtime for v43.00 Update”. Featured image: Epic Games. One Piece © Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation.
