Fortnite appears to be, in a way, already working on the second update for Chapter 7. You were right; there is no doubt about that. The reliable source of information HYPEX announced that the game’s upcoming large content injection is already being developed and that Chapter 7 Update 2 will be after the winter fest update and the traditional developer break in early 2026.
Even though the developers have not yet finished Chapter 7, are they already developing the next major update? This is indeed a very forward-looking perspective of Epic Games. The Fortnite developers are really working around the clock; they seem to have no breaks and are constantly creating the new ideas for their vast player base. One user almost encompassed it all with the quote “fortnite never sleeps, every time you think it’s cooling down they drop another massive update” commenting. And the truth is? They are right.
Nevertheless, the timing is perfect. Early 2026 is exactly the right time because it allows the players to enjoy the winterfest events and whatever is served in Chapter 7 prior to the next big thing. This is the traditional Fortnite cycle – just when you think you might take a break, they announce something new that pulls you right back in.
It is clear by going through the comments to HYPEX’s tweet that the community is already very active in their speculations and asking questions. Many players are asking about Ranked 2.0 if it will be included in the early 2026 release or if it will come later that year? One user even went so far as to ask “A quand la ranked 2.0 début 2026 ou fin 2026” which translates to “When will ranked 2.0, early 2026 or late 2026?” The ranked mode update seems to have dropped like a bomb on everyone’s subjective wish list.
Curiously, the Fortnite Crew subscription has also been a subject of debate. A community member shared that he had access to premium content long after his subscription was over. This gave rise to various assumptions about Epic’s Crew membership potentially changing. Following that, another player recalled, “That was the same back in chapter 6 season 1 when my crew ended but I was able to claim Godzilla. It was just a hiccup.” So, it might be merely a temporary glitch but who really knows?
It is no secret that there is a lot of excitement around Chapter 7 in the community. Several replies say “I’m so exited for chapter 7!” and “I can’t wait” which indicates that the community is still eager to see what is next despite the current issues. One user has even mentioned a possible season theme: “Can’t wait for that leaked Norse mythology season & hopefully we get Kratos to return” which would be pretty cool actually.
Some players are already constructing storylines and inquiring if Chapter 7 will be part of UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite), which straightforwardly indicates how creative community is so much invested in the game and its development tools. And, of course, there are also the usual demands for specific skins – one said about the character Tyler (most likely Tyler, The Creator) being included, another mentioned Metal Gear wave 2, and there was also one account dedicated to solely ask whether XXXTENTACION is coming to Fortnite.
Still, not everyone is satisfied with the situation. One upfront user merely said “This update is awful” while another opted for the old “I hate Fortnite” – I guess you cannot satisfy everyone. Nevertheless, the overall agreement seems to be in favor of the positive side, as reflected in comments such as “Epic never sleeps. Chapter 7 part two’s already cooking. 🎮🔥” that echo the general mood.
It is still a question whether how Fortnite has managed to maintain this constant cycle of updates for so many years. Other live service games are experiencing content droughts, but Epic just continues to create new seasons, chapters, and updates. When you think about it, it is pretty crazy. They are going to take a short winter break for the winter fest and then, just like that, will start working on the next big thing.
The fact that they are already so far ahead in the game timeline which we are talking about not until 2026 – is a clear sign of how effective and organized their development pipeline must be. Most games would count themselves very lucky if they had their next big expansion planned out six months in advance, but Fortnite? They are already working years ahead.
Specific date discussions can also be found in the replies, one user says, “Chapter 7 season 2 starts February 14th. Frfr” but it remains unclear if that is based on actual leaks, or is just speculation. Another person guessed, “Probably by the second week of January” when we might start to see more concrete information.
What about the battle royale mode? It’s worth noting that the competitive scene remains strong. Meanwhile, console players on PlayStation and Xbox continue to be a vital part of the community.
