Fortnite Queue: Here’s Why Epic’s Biggest Launch Ever Puts Players In A Waiting Room

If you’re trying to jump into Fortnite Chapter 3 today, you’ve maybe been stuck on the main menu for a few minutes at some point. While MMO fans are familiar with a virtual line to get into their games, many Fortnite players have never seen this before and are thus wondering, “why is there a Fortnite queue?” Here’s why.

The Fortnite Chapter 3 launch is nothing short of record-setting. While Epic isn’t sharing numbers, the team revealed on social media that the Chapter 3, Season 1 launch is the biggest season debut the game has ever experienced, and while it’s impressive to see Fortnite is still growing four years after its massive launch, it comes with the slight caveat that a queue system has been implemented today.

When the season kicked off at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET on December 5, there were a few hiccups. Some players got stuck on loading screens or were repeatedly kicked off of the servers, surely due to the massive strain of millions of players logging in simultaneously. That issue only lasted about 40 minutes though, at which point Fortnite players started to see a queue, sometimes of more than 10 minutes in total wait time.

If you find yourself in a queue, don’t exit the game, or else you’ll reset your place in line. A queue is there to ensure the servers aren’t overloaded with players agai. As some players exit, others take their places. Grab a snack, use the bathroom, and check Twitter. In short order, you’ll be past the gatekeeping queue and jumping into Fortnite Chapter 3 with millions of others. After that, you’ll likely have a smooth experience, so don’t fret. Spider-Man, the new island, and so much more await you on the other side. Don’t forget to learn how to slide and how to use tents in Fortnite.