Epic Games has decided to delay the release of Fortnite: Battle Royale Chapter 2 Season 3 to June 17 in solidarity with the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality in the United States.
While the developer said that they are “eager to move Fortnite forward,” they explained that they need to “balance the Season 3 launch with time for the team to focus on themselves, their families, and their communities.”
“Recent events are a heavy reminder of ongoing injustices in society, from the denial of basic human rights to the impact of racism both overt and subtle against people of color. We’re acutely aware of the pain our friends, families, team members, players, and communities are experiencing. We believe in equality and justice, diversity and inclusion, and that these fundamentals are above politics,” Epic Games said in a statement.
Alongside delaying Season 3’s release to June 17, the live ending event for Season 2, called ‘The Device,’ has also been delayed to June 15. The event was previously set to be held on June 6.
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Fortnite Chapter 2’s long-awaited third season was originally set to launch on April 30 before the release was first delayed to June 4 in mid-April and then delayed again to June 11 “in an effort to get everything ready.”
With the new season’s release delayed for a total of three times now, Epic has pleaded for patience from the Fortnite community.
“We know this delay comes on the heels of another one, and we appreciate your patience and understanding during these difficult times,” the developer said.
This isn’t the first time a new season for Fortnite Chapter 2 has been delayed. Season 2 also saw a delay of several weeks, launching on February 20 instead of its original December schedule.
