Fortnite update TODAY: Epic Games patch notes news, surprise server downtime

Season 5 of Fortnite is drawing to a close very soon, but before this season officially wraps up, developer Epic has some new content in store for the popular battle royale game. The studio announced on Twitter that it will roll out Fortnite's 5.40 content update across all platforms tomorrow, September 11, at 5 AM PT / 8 AM ET / 1 PM BST, and it looks set to introduce another new gun to the game.

Epic hasn't formally confirmed what new item will arrive as part of the 5.40 content update, but it will presumably be the Suppressed Assault Rifle, which Fortnite's in-game News feed teases is "coming soon" to the game. According to its accompanying description, the new gun is a "silenced weapon that rewards precision aiming."

Before the 5.40 content update goes live, Epic will deploy a separate client update for Fortnite that addresses a handful of unspecified issues. Downtime for that patch is scheduled to begin tonight, September 10, at 11 PM PT (2 AM ET / 7 AM BST on September 11). Epic hasn't provided an estimate for how long the downtime is expected to last.

Fortnite's 5.40 patch arrived last week after a slight delay and kicked off High Stakes, a special heist-themed event that encompasses its own set of challenges and the new Getaway limited-time mode. The patch also introduced a new mobility item to the game called the Grappler, which can be fired at a distant object to pull you toward it.

For the complete list of patch notes, check out the  official Epic Games website post. 

However, we do know a few things about the new Fortnite content update that is being released later today.

A new Fortnite suppressed assault rifle looks set to be launched on Tuesday, along with a few other reported items. The new weapon is being teased when players login and is labelled as “coming soon”, which means it should be coming with Fortnite content update V5.40. But Fortnite fans have noticed something interesting about the teaser image showing the soon-to-be-released weapon. The Fortnite suppressed assault rifle looks to have a camo skin on it, which may be a sign weapon skins are coming with the upcoming content update. Other mysterious folders found in the game files for Fortnite update 5.40 included a pets folder and a music packs section. The latter has sparked speculation that the original game music for Fortnite could be reappearing soon. Customisation options for the Battle Bus were also hinted at in the leaked game files for Fortnite. And unlike the early update, this content patch will come with patch notes, meaning players should know exactly what has been added to the game.