The Fortnite "Network Connection Lost" error is the newest problem to arise in-game. Despite Fortnite downtime today coming to an end and the servers going online, players have been unable to log into the game. As soon as the application is launched and players go to matchmaking, they are running into the aforementioned error.
Given that this issue was not present prior to the Fortnite update v28.10, it could be related to it. As such, most players have been unable to start a match and try out the next content. Given that the Solid Snake Outfit is now available to unlock, this is rather unfortunate. Thankfully, there are a few workarounds that can be tried out to remedy the situation at hand or at least, provide a temporary fix for the problem.
How to fix the Fortnite "Network Connection Lost" error in Chapter 5 Season 1
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Epic Games is aware of the Fortnite "Network Connection Lost" error and is actively investigating it. They have mentioned that they will provide an update when they have more information on the issue at hand. In the meantime, there are a few workarounds that can be tried to bypass this Fortnite "Network Connection Lost" error and start a match.
1) Restart the game and/or change match-making region
The best course to take to remedy this situation is to restart the game and try getting into a match again. At times, network issues tend to arise and can be fixed by restarting the application.
Another quick-fix is to change the matchmaking region. At times, server hosting could be the cause of the issue. Certain regions may experience trouble due to unforeseen circumstances.
2) Verify the file integrity of the game
The Fortnite "Network Connection Lost" error only started to appear after the Fortnite update v28.10 went live. As such, the issue may be related to the update itself. Files could have gone missing and/or become corrupted during the process. Checking and verifying the file integrity before starting a new match could fix the issue at hand.
3) Wait for Epic Games to provide an update and/or official fix
If the aforementioned methods fail, the last resort would be to wait for an official fix by Epic Games. Since the developers are aware of the issue and are actively working on it, it should be resolved soon.
In the meantime, if matchmaking continues to fail, try playing the other modes that are present in-game. If nothing else, Creative and Save The World should work. Epic Games will likely have a fix issued for the Fortnite "Network Connection Lost" error in an hour or two at most.