Epic delays the next 'Fortnite' event and season again

The publisher made the call amid widespread anti-racism protests.

Epic Games

Epic Games has delayed the next Fortnite event and season once more. A one-time event called The Device is moving from June 6th to June 15th. Chapter 2 Season 3, which will probably feature a flooded map, will start two days after that.

The publisher made the call amid ongoing, widespread anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd. A former Minneapolis police officer has been charged with second-degree murder, and three others who were on the scene face charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Sony and EA also postponed gaming events they had scheduled for this week in light of the protests.

“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,” Epic wrote in a blog post. “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. The team is eager to move Fortnite forward, but we need to balance the Season 3 launch with time for the team to focus on themselves, their families and their communities.”

Epic has pushed back the Season 3 start date several times. It was originally supposed to begin on May 1st, but it moved to June 4th and then June 11th.