Is Fortnite down? Games to play instead while Fortnite is down - including free battle royales and fun multiplayer games

Ahead of the launch of its new season, the Fortnite servers have been taken offline by developers for maintenance. The new season, titled Lawless, will feature a brand new character, a rapping pickle called Big Dill.

The servers were taken down at 7am today (February 21) by Epic Games, meaning users cannot log in to play the game, purchase skins or connect with friends. It has affected all platforms, including PC, PlayStation, Xbox and mobile access.

According to reports, players who try and get into Fortnite will simply find themselves stuck on a loading screen, and won’t progress any further than that.

At the time of publication, many of its players will still be in bed, making the most of the half-term holidays. But parents may find their little ones a tad grouchy if the servers are offline.

Back in our day, if we couldn’t play our video games we would simply go outside, or meet with our friends somewhere in person. Nowadays, the solution is simply to play a different game instead.

Here are a few options for people looking for their gaming fix while Fortnite’s servers are down.

Marvel Rivals

Currently one of the biggest games on the market, Marvel Rivals is a 6v6 hero shooter where you play as the likes of Iron Man, Captain America and Wolverine on an online battlefield. You can also play as Jeff the Land Shark (I’m not joking - Google him).

The game is free to download on PC and current-gen consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X) and scratches that third-person itch for players who also want to play as iconic Marvel characters.

Speaking from personal experience, this game is a lot of fun - and might even prise you away from Fortnite for good.

Fall Guys

Another free game that’s a huge amount of fun. Think Total Wipeout but with cutesy bean characters playing dress-up.

In Fall Guys, you play online against a bunch of other players in an elimination-style game, with players being knocked out through a series of elaborate obstacle courses, survival modes and the dreaded Tail Tag - all vying for first place and the elusive crown that comes with it.

There are a variety of cosmetics that allow you to dress your character up as a hot dog, a unicorn and even a minion from the Despicable Me films. There’s no shooting, so parents of a nervous disposition can rest easy when installing this one on their child’s console.

Fall Guys is available on all current and past-gen consoles, PC, Nintendo Switch and even mobile.

Roblox

This is the one they’ll probably be playing all day today. It’s also one this reporter does not recommend, due in large part to its predatory microtransaction system.

PUBG

If you’re a slightly older Fortnite player looking for something to play today, then it’s time to step up to a game like Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG). This first and third-person battle royale has a slightly more serious tone to it, with more realistic graphics and gunplay - aside from the frying pan you can whack people around the head with.

PUBG offers a more mature take on the battle royale genre, and the playerbase is generally far less toxic than you would experience on something like Call of Duty: Warzone.

The game is free to download on all consoles, PC and mobile.