When is Arena Leaving Fortnite?

With the recent announcement of Fortnite Ranked, Epic Games has decided to discontinue Arena mode.

Arena has always been the only competitive playlist in Fortnite. Players start in Open League, and if they earn enough Hype, they can progress to Contender League. The highest division is Champion League, full of the best Fortnite players, including professionals.

Now, Fortnite Ranked is coming to Battle Royale and Zero Build for a new competitive challenge. Players will have the chance to progress through eight Ranks, beginning in Bronze and possibly working all the way to Unreal. Along the way, exclusive free cosmetics will be rewarded to players as they complete Ranked Urgent Quests.

So, how long do fans have until Arean disappears?

When is Arena Leaving Fortnite?

Arena was originally supposed to leave Fortnite today, May 16. Update v24.40 was scheduled to go live, bringing Ranked mode and another Spider-Verse collaboration to the Battle Royale.

Unfortunately, Epic Games announced the delay of the update late last night. They are now “targeting” a May 17 release date. If the mode does indeed come out tomorrow, then today is the last day fans have to play Arena.

As soon as Ranked goes live, Arena will no longer be available to play in Fortnite. Any upcoming tournaments in Chapter 4 Season 2 will not require the typical Champion League rank to enter. For the next competitive season, ranks will be the eligibility requirement for events hosted by Epic Games.

There truly is no reason to keep Arena when Ranked exists, but its removal feels like a monumental shift for the Battle Royale. As Fortnite ushers in a new era, fans can expect much more balanced SBMM and greater competitive integrity.