Fortnite OG update patch notes: Downtime, Chapter 1 map, weapons, more

Nathan Warby
Kaido Thorn with time machine in Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5 teaser.

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5 has arrived, and it’s one of the biggest and most ambitious updates yet. Here are the Fortnite OG update patch notes, including the long-awaited return of the Chapter 1 map.

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 4 brought plenty of fresh content to the game, from new weapons to crossover skins inspired by iconic characters. There were also been themed events for fans to tackle, including the popular Fortnitemares 2023.

Now, Chapter 4 Season 5 has dropped, and this new update, titled Fortnite OG, is being seen as one of the boldest moves from the devs to date.

With this in mind, here are the complete Fortnite OG update patch notes.

Loot Lake in Fortnite Chapter 1
Fortnite players can visit their favorite POIs once again.

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5 release date & downtime

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5 begins on Friday, November 3, 2023, as confirmed by the devs. Downtime began at around 12 AM PST / 3 AM EST / 7 AM GMT, but as this is the start of a brand-new season, the servers could be offline for a few hours while the update is rolled out.

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5 brings back Chapter 1 map

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5, titled Fortnite OG, sees the Chapter 1 map make a comeback. This was confirmed after weeks of teasers hinting that the game will travel back in time with the new season.

The first official image for the update featured Season 4 villain Kado Thorn in front of a time machine set for July 12, 2018, the same date that the first Fortnite Season began. It’s now been officially confirmed by the devs, who posted a montage of Chapter 1 clips and teased that players will be able to “relive the memories. And create new ones.”

With the Chapter 1 map returning, it means that fans will be able to visit iconic POIs like Tilted Towers, Risky Reels, Lucky Landing, and Wailing Woods for the first time in a long time.

It’s also been revealed that new updates will drop regularly during Fortnite OG to transport the map into a new Chapter 1 season, going from Season 5 to X.

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5 weapons

Since Fortnite OG is bringing back the Chapter 1 map, the original loot pool is also returning. The classic Pump Shotgun, Hand Canon, Light Machine Gun, and more are back on the map, giving fights an authentic Chapter 1 feel.

Healing items like Chug Splashes are also back, alongside vehicles such as Ballers and Shopping Carts. These will also be rotated as the devs work through the seasons.

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5 update patch notes

Check out the full Fortnite OG update patch notes, as shared by Epic Games:


Drop in the original Island once again in Fortnite Battle Royale Chapter 4 Season OG. Throughout “Fortnite OG,” each major update will bring a different phase of Battle Royale’s past, starting with Chapter 1 Season 5. That means Shopping Carts, ATKs, the Assault Rifle, Pump Shotgun, and more in both Battle Royale and Zero Build! 

The Battle is Building, Back in Time

Go back in time Season by Season. Some of the unvaulted gear in each update will remain for that update, be in more than one update, or stay for the rest of Fortnite OG ⛏ Everything below is just part of what’ll be unvaulted:

v27.00 – Season 5: The Return of Tilted, Greasy, and Risky 

A POI introduced in Season 2, Tilted Towers stayed on the Island until Season 9.

Season 5, the Season where worlds collided… and players collided with All Terrain Karts! Take up weapons, Traps, and vehicles that were present in the original Season 5.
The Assault Rifle, Pump Shotgun, and Hunting Rifle are just some of the weapons unvaulted!

It’s not just weapons that are back — things like the Damage Trap, Grappler, and Boogie Bomb are unvaulted too.

Thrill rides ahead: the Shopping Cart and All Terrain Kart are unvaulted! (Be careful before trying Shopping Cart stunts.)

v27.00 Nov 9 Hotfix – Season 6: Darkness Rises in Loot Lake 

Darkness Rises again in Loot Lake! During the v27.00 Nov 9 hotfix, give opponents frights with weapons that were in Season 6. Also have delights with the Quadcrasher, Mounted Turret, and more!

Take up weapons that were in the loot pool in Season 6, including the Double Barrel Shotgun, Clinger, and Six Shooter. (Fittingly, the Six Shooter debuted in Season 6!)

Build defense! Attach a Chiller Trap to your Port-a-Fortress fort, then top it off with Mounted Turrets. (Have cold feet enough? The Chiller Trap and Mounted Turret won’t be in Zero Build.)

Burst onto the scene with a Quadcrasher or Driftboard*.

*The Driftboard wasn’t introduced until Season 7, but it’ll first be available in Fortnite OG during the Season 6 update!

v27.10 Nov 16 Hotfix – Seasons 7 & 8: Of Chill and Treasure

If you thought Chiller Traps were cold, Seasons 7 and 8 featured a snow biome and Frosty Flights. Pirate camps appeared on the Island following the pol-arrrr temperatures, and a range of swashbuckling gear was on the map to employ.

Start blasting from the past with weapons like the Flint-Knock Pistol, Minigun, and Quad Launcher

More things will be unvaulted (and dug up) in v27.10, including the Poison Dart Trap, Itemized Glider Redeploy, and Buried Treasure. Note: the Poison Dart Trap will not be in Zero Build.

Don’t just move, attack! Strike with the X-4 Stormwing of Sgt. Winter fame, and the Pirate Cannon that lets you launch your teammates. 

v27.11 Nov 23 Hotfix – Seasons 9 & X: Blast Off!

Season 9 brought the future. Then in Season X, the world was destabilizing, fast! But don’t worry, Seasons 9 and X had a ton of ways to play Fortnite that will return in the v27.11 Nov 23 hotfix.

Finish Fortnite OG strong with weapons like the Heavy Sniper Rifle, Proximity Grenade Launcher, Air Strike, and Junk Rift.

Defy natural order with items like the Storm Flip and Jetpack. (Fun fact: Season 9’s “The Final Showdown” event had players using Jetpacks to witness a fight of epic proportions.)

Introduced in Season 8, players stayed rollin’ with The Baller in Season 9.

Run It Back with the OG Pass and OG Item Shop 

Introducing the OG Pass

A time-traveling, turbo-speed OG Season means the all-new… OG Pass! Packed with over 50 new in-game items, you can unlock all the cosmetic rewards in the OG Pass in just four weeks. The OG Pass is purchasable for 950 V-Bucks, and you can earn up to 1,000 V-Bucks by progressing in the OG Pass. Fortnite Crew subscriber? The OG Pass is included as part of the Fortnite Crew subscription.

Cop New Classics with the OG Shop

We’ve hit rewind on the Item Shop. Check out curated selections of classic, mashup, and fresh items in the OG Shop! These Outfits and accessories will only be available for a limited time, as a new curated selection will appear in the Shop daily at 7 PM ET. 

For more details on the OG Pass and OG Shop, check out our OG Pass/OG Shop blog post!

Chapter 4 Season OG Ranked

Welcome to Chapter 4 Season OG Ranked! As usual with a new Season, everyone’s rank has been reset in Chapter 4 Season OG to provide a fresh start for all players. 

Also as usual, you’ll only need to play one Ranked match in Chapter 4 Season OG to have your rank revealed (one match per Battle Royale and Zero Build). Your performance in your first match does not determine your initial rank placement. Rather, it reveals your rank and then updates your rank progress bar based on your performance in the match.

Ranked Matchmaking Test

In the higher ranks? It’s expected that matchmaking may take a little longer than if you were in a lower rank. We recently began a test to help get you in a match faster in Ranked. Specifically, lobbies with 80+ players will begin a match if matchmaking is taking a while. As we monitor, we may adjust the threshold of players and the time passed it takes for a match to begin.

Another aim of this test is fairer matches for higher-ranked players, by tightening the range of players able to join a match.

Faster Rank Progression in Fortnite OG

With Fortnite OG being a short Season, rank progression will be faster at the higher and middle ranks to accommodate. Players will be penalized less for being eliminated early in a match, and will have slightly faster increases to their rank progression bar. Keep aiming for Unreal!

Additionally, we’ve made progression faster for players in the Bronze ranks, so friends queuing up together across ranks will see more consistent progression.

Reminiscent Ranked Reward

When you jump off the Battle Bus in a Ranked match, you’ll be given a Ranked Urgent Quest. By completing certain amounts of Ranked Urgent Quests, you’ll unlock in-game rewards! Unlock the Chapter 1-inspired Ranker’s Tags Back Bling by completing just one Ranked Urgent Quest during Fortnite OG. 

Ranker’s Tags will display the color of the highest rank you’ve reached this Season. Proud of the rank you reached? Show it off in this Season and beyond!

Classically Competitive

Don’t let a reverse in time mean a reverse in competitive drive. Learn about Fortnite OG’s competitive offerings, including Ranked Cups, at our Fortnite OG Competitive Details blog post!

The Competitor’s Skyblades and Competitor’s Time Brella, earnable Glider rewards from Ranked Cups. 

Please note that not every Fortnite OG feature will be in tournaments. Features not in tournaments include (but aren’t limited to):

  • Grenade Launcher
  • Rocket Launcher
  • Quad Launcher
  • Grenade
  • Shockwave Grenade
  • Proximity Grenade Launcher
  • Remote Explosives
  • Air Strike
  • Junk Rift
  • Storm Flip
  • X-4 Stormwing


“The Re-OG” Lobby Track by Metro Boomin + Content Creation

Press play and go back in time with Metro Boomin. As a special thanks, check out your Locker for the free The Re-OG Lobby Track reward and celebrate Fortnite OG. 

Content creators in the Support-A-Creator (SAC) program will be able to host content featuring this Lobby Track on YouTube and monetize it for seven days starting November 3 at 7 AM ET. No takedown notifications should occur during this time. More info:

  • In order to monetize their content featuring the Lobby Track, SAC members need to link their YouTube and Support-A-Creator accounts.
  • IMPORTANT: When uploading the content to YouTube, be sure to upload it as Unlisted or Public. If you upload the video as Private, it is possible you could receive a monetization claim on your video.
  • For uploading the content on other platforms, refer to the channel’s platform policies for tips on how to avoid copyright strikes.

Not in SAC? Don’t worry, you can still share your experiences featuring the Lobby Track. However, you will not be able to monetize this content on YouTube.

Please note: For Twitch creators streaming content featuring this Lobby Track, we cannot prevent your VODs or clips from getting flagged by third-party copyright detection systems. The general recommendation is to disable VODs/clips for the duration of the event. For more information, see Twitch’s DMCA & Copyright FAQs help page.

That was everything we know about Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5 so far. We’ll be sure to update this page as soon as the full patch notes are live.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our other Fortnite guides:

How to land at Hot Spots in Fortnite | All Fortnite Weekly Quests | Fortnite Exotic weapon locations | All Fortnite Reality Augments | What does Siphon mean in Fortnite? | What are account levels in Fortnite? | All Fortnite NPC locations | Best weapons in Fortnite ranked

About The Author

Nathan is a Senior Writer at CharlieIntel. He’s an expert in EA Sports FC, Call of Duty, and Overwatch, as well as superhero games, including Marvel’s Spider-Man. With a master's degree in Magazine Journalism from Nottingham Trent University, he worked as a Trainee Reporter for Derbyshire Live before moving into games media, with bylines at Dexerto, Cultured Vultures, and more. You can contact Nathan by email at [email protected].