Why is Fortnite stuck on checking for updates? (July 26th 2023) Blue screen explained

Fortnite players are experiencing a rather debilitating error message right now. The game is perpetually on the blue screen and says it is checking for updates. This leaves players unable to play the game at all. In the heat of Chapter 4 Season 3, that's very frustrating for players attempting to unlock Optimus Prime and others, and even worse with the Futurama event being unveiled today.

Is this a widespread issue? Here's what we know about the troubles and what can be done about it.

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Fortnite checking for updates stuck on screen issue

The easiest way for Fortnite gamers to find out if this is an isolated incident is by checking DownDetector. This website can see status reports and issue logs for all games. As you can see, there has been a spike in reports recently.

Why is Fortnite stuck on checking for updates? (Image via DownDetector)

Things were running smoothly until recently when the "Fortnite checking for updates" message stuck on players' screens. The other test is to visit FortniteStatus on Twitter to check for any known issues.

In this case, there is. At 2:01 p.m. EST, the account tweeted:

"We're investigating reports that players are unable to log-in or matchmake. Our team is investigating a fix, and we'll provide an update when this is resolved."

For now, there is no update. You can try and work around this issue using standard troubleshooting methods. These aren't guaranteed to work or fix the issue, but they're worth a shot while the game is down.

First, try restarting either the application or the device you're playing Fortnite on. Consider restarting both as well; they may need to reconnect to the servers or just be turned off for a moment to work properly. Logging out of your Fortnite account and back in could also be helpful.