Fortnite is about to get a pirate makeover. Epic Games has scheduled downtime for update v43.00, the patch that starts the Treasure Hunters Mini Season, beginning at 2 AM ET on November 1, 2026. Servers are set to return at 6 AM ET after roughly four hours of maintenance.

Epic has not yet published its full official timeline, but it says one is coming later this week. Until then, the early patch notes and the newly released trailers are the best look players have at what is coming.

The downtime window and what it unlocks

The maintenance window is the gateway to the season. The update brings new skins, weapons, POIs, and lore, so players who want to dive in on day one will need to plan around the four-hour gap.

The timing gives players a short runway. Once servers come back online at 6 AM ET, the new island, the loot, and the Battle Pass should all be live for everyone.

A Battle Pass built around One Piece

The first official look at the Treasure Hunters Battle Pass is already drawing attention. Nico Robin and Portgas D. Ace are both listed, and a mysterious newcomer whose voicelines play the One Piece Chest in Fortnite is also on the lineup.

Despite the theme, very few of the skins are actually hunters. The full skin list includes Anime Jones, Anime Cuddle Team Leader, Anime Charlotte, Captain X, Nico Robin, and Portgas D. Ace. Compared with the Fortnite Override Battle Pass, the lineup is far more interesting.

The official key art gives fans their first real glimpse of the One Piece Gum-Gum Devil Fruit. Ace is also shown using his power, which he gained by eating the Flame-Flame Devil Fruit. Both abilities are expected to appear as Mythic weapons next season.

The map is getting a complete overhaul

The Override map is gone. In its place is a skull-and-crossbones-shaped island that fits the Treasure Hunters theme. It is a sharp break from the gloomy settings that have dominated Fortnite since Fortnitemares 2026 kicked off.

Early patch notes name four locations on the new island, though those names are placeholders for now: Arlong Park, One Piece Treasure Chest, Foosha Village, and Marigold. The trailer shows many more spots, but their names have not been revealed yet.

That is the real hook for explorers. The island is packed with locations nobody has named yet, and Epic Games is expected to reveal them one by one over the course of this week. Players who want to know every hidden corner will have to keep watching.

Secret loot and new weapons

Based on the early patch notes, at least seven new weapons and items will join the Fortnite loot pool. Two of them have been brought over from Fortnite Save the World, which is a rare crossover move for this kind of update.

The names are still unconfirmed, but rough guesses are already circulating. They include Bundlebuss, Dragoon, Pirate Cannon, Zoro’s Sword as a Mythic, Luffy’s Gum-Gum as a Mythic, Nami’s Tangerine as a Mythic, Usopp Slingshot as a Mythic, and Ace’s Flame-Flame as a Mythic.

The list may not be complete. The Flintknock Pistol and Corsair are also expected to land in the loot pool, which suggests the season has plenty of surprises still under wraps.

The lineup of characters is way more interesting than the Fortnite Override Battle Pass, for certain.

Sprites are back in the spotlight

Sprites first surfaced in the Hatsune Miku collab teaser. Now the official Treasure Hunters key art offers a first look at new Sprites, and one of them appears to be a mouse that has made its home inside a treasure chest.

There is a catch. Rumors that Sprites will be removed in Fortnite Chapter 8 have not been clarified. Until Epic says otherwise, the safest move is to collect as many as you can. Players can also visit them later in the Fortnite Sprite Garden.

What players should do next

The Treasure Hunters Mini Season is shaping up as one of the most packed starts in recent memory. The downtime begins at 2 AM ET on November 1, 2026, and the update brings a new map, a One Piece-themed Battle Pass, mythic weapons, and new Sprites.

Here is what to watch for this week: the official timeline from Epic Games, the names behind the placeholder POIs, and confirmation of the weapons and items still missing from the list. Each reveal is likely to change how players approach the new island.