Fed up with the aggravating “Waiting in Queue” message in Fortnite? You’re not alone. This error is causing issues for many players trying to play Chapter 5 Season 4.
Sometimes, an issue like the ‘Waiting in Queue’ error can separate you and your friends from having a good time in Fortnite. This error that appears in the form of a prolonged loading screen prevents players from joining matches, hindering all the action and fun.
Now you may be wondering what could be the causes of this error and if it can be fixed from your end or not. In this guide, we have answered all your queries, so let’s dive right into it.
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What does Waiting in Queue mean in Fortnite?
The ‘Waiting in Queue’ is an error message in Fortnite that arises when there’s an issue related to the game servers. When this issue occurs, a stuck loading screen appears right in front, preventing you from matchmaking against other players.
This server-related issue may either happen from your end or may happen from Epic Games’ end as well.
Causes of Waiting in Queue error in Fortnite
One of the most probable causes of getting the ‘Waiting in Queue’ error in Fortnite is when the servers are under maintenance. This happens when the servers go offline for a new update, server problems, or network stress tests.
If you’re experiencing this around September 10, 2024, you’re not alone. After players were forced to wait in terribly long queues, Fortnite Status on X explained why this was happening. Epic was working on network stress tests, which could be the reason why you’re in a queue.
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Hi! We are performing weekly networking stress tests to improve our services and that may cause the queue or matchmaking errors for a few minutes during our tests. You can read more about it here: https://t.co/9aeRju4Ctc. 👀 Thank you! 🙌
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) September 10, 2024
Other than these weekly tests, this has happened before back in Chapter 5 Season 2’s launch. Epic Games officially announced that the scheduled downtime for the new season was delayed by at least 8 hours. This left many players furious and was the expected cause of this error message.
Another reason that may take place for this error to occur is when the internet connection between your device and the game servers time out. Slow internet speeds and frequent packet loss are the main culprits when it happens from your end.
Can you fix the Waiting in Queue error in Fortnite?
Since this issue is directly related to the servers, you can’t necessarily “fix” the error by any means. However, there are a couple of precautions you may take to not getting the error while playing Fortnite:
- Avoiding playing during peak hours
- Checking your internet connection is stable
Peak hours can be a nuisance as the servers are restricted to a limited capacity of allowing players. Try queuing for matches during times when there’s less traffic. Also, check if your internet connection is stable or if there’s any new update from Fortnite before queuing.
In case Fortnite servers go down for maintenance, you may also check our guide for monitoring.
That’s everything you need to know about what Waiting in Queue means in Fortnite and its possible causes and fixes. Once you finally make it into Fortnite, you can look forward to new weekly challenges and rare Mythic weapons.