When Does Fortnite Season 3 Start? (& What to Expect)

The Fortnite live event marks the end of the season, which means an exciting new season is just around the corner. There are always high expectations with the theme, map, and new items for a fresh season, so here are some potential features to prepare for and when they’ll arrive.

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 3 Start Date & Details

Once the live event shows up in Fortnite, the end of the season is usually around a week later. With the live event kicking off May 16, we can expect Chapter 5, Season 3, to start May 24, 2024. Friday is a great day to begin a new season so everyone can enjoy it over the weekend (and a long weekend, with Memorial Day the following Monday). Downtime for the update will likely begin around 2-3 a.m. EST and finish around 5-7 a.m. However, you should come prepared to sit in a queue for a little while if you want to jump on right when it launches.

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 3 “Wrecked” Theme

Even before Fortnite teased the season title on X, leaks confirmed an apocalypse theme. However, after a few more details and the mini sandstorm event, it may not be the type of zombie apocalypse we assumed, but instead a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Based on the leaks so far, we’ll see a more Mad Max-style post-apocalypse setting.

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 3 Map

As the giant sandstorm suggests, the map will likely transform into a giant desert biome (or cover at least two biomes) with some ruins of past buildings and locations there. The other possibility is that the water on the map is no longer water but sand. In it, a steam train, in true Mad Max style, speeds through and around the map.

The water turned to sand is a theory based on a leak from iFireMonkey on Twitter. It shows a small portion of the mini-map from potential Season 3 testing, revealing the water with a sand-like color and the train right in the middle of it. Although this isn’t fully confirmed, it could be a tiny hint of what we can expect from the new Fortnite map.

Fortnite “Wrecked” Battle Pass

If the leaked roadmap is accurate, we’ll also see some Mad Max-style skins, with ripped desert clothes, spikey masks, and maybe some make-shift body modifications. The Battle Pass will mostly feature these types of skins, with some skins for the potential collabs also weaving their way in.

There have been many speculations and concept art about what we can expect, most of which are going for that Mad Max or Borderlands style, while others think perhaps a more Zombie Wastelands style. The biggest hope for the Battle Pass collab page is for Kratos to arrive, but more likely, we’ll see Jack Sparrow or a Mad Max character.

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 3 Potential Collabs

Thanks to the roadmap and announcements, we already know a bit about what we can expect for collabs the next season, including the following:

• Fallout – Battle Royale
• Pirates of the Caribbean – Battle Royale
• Metallica – Fortnite Festival
• Klombo – LEGO Fortnite

Fallout was just recently confirmed for the season on the official Fortnite Twitter, with a possible location based on the world of Fallout and Power Armor shown. Although it’s unlikely that players will get to utilize the Power Armor in-game, it may be skin that players can get from the Battle Pass or shop.

Pirates of the Caribbean, believe it or not, actually fits in well with the whole sand wasteland, especially when thinking about Davy Jones’ Locker in the At World’s End movie. Likely, this collab will arrive around mid-season and have Black Pearl shipwrecked amidst the sand.

One collaboration not mentioned in the leaks, however, was Mad Max. Considering the new movie Mad Max Furiosa‘s arrival in theaters, it would be the prime opportunity to collaborate with them and perfectly complement the theme Fortnite already has in place.

Not all these concepts are officially confirmed yet. However, we’ll undoubtedly see new locations, items, vehicles, skins, and so much more. We’ll have to wait until the season rolls out to confirm what it entails, but it’s exciting!

Stay tuned to GameSkinny’s Fortnite guides hub for more new content coming soon!