The Showdown: Foundation vs Ice King
The story of Chapter 7 Season 2 has been building up to this for months. Two factions that have been pulling at each other from opposite ends of the island finally come face to face — and the island is caught right in the middle. You have to pick a side: do you fight for The Foundation or for the Ice King?
Epic’s in-game messaging puts it plainly:
“Two teams. One winner. The Island’s fate hangs in the balance.”
What follows is the season’s final battle — and all signs point to map changes, lore moving forward, and a direct handover into the next chapter on Saturday.
Pick your team: experience changes depending on your side
Epic confirmed something big for this event: the in-game experience will be different depending on the team you pick. It’s not just a cosmetic or a skin — the flow of the game shifts depending on whether you join Foundation or Ice King.
Inside the game you’ll get a screen to join a team before the live event. Epic hasn’t detailed all the gameplay differences yet — we’ll know in full on Friday.
How it works: Rivalry Screens and Rival Credits
The Showdown’s loop is simple and direct:
- Pick a target on a Rivalry Screen inside the game.
- Take them down in combat to earn Rival Credits.
- Climb the ranks to unlock loot, cosmetics and gameplay perks only available during this event.
The community is already cooking
As happens with every chapter finale, community creators are already putting together incredible pieces. Two must-watches before Friday:
feerals — the king of cinematics
feerals is an institution in the community for making cinematics that feel like they were made by Epic itself. His Showdown trailer is one of those you watch once and don’t forget:
Big John — and he gifted the cover to the community
Big John made another incredible trailer for the finale — and pulled off something huge on top of it: he designed the cover image you see on this article and released it for anyone to use. The legend not only cooks, he shares. Check his trailer:
Designed by Big John (@S3PT20) and released for the community. If you use it elsewhere, give him the credit he deserves.
The crossover into Season 3: Runners
As soon as the Showdown ends on Friday, Saturday June 6 launches Chapter 7 Season 3: Runners. The tagline — “Power isn’t given, it’s taken” — suggests a shift in tone away from the medieval/ninja fantasy of the current chapter.
We’ll have to wait for launch to know exactly what’s coming, but the crossover promises to be one of the fastest in recent chapters. No breather.
See you on the island this Friday.
Preguntas frecuentes
What exact time does the event start on Friday June 5?
Epic confirmed 7:00 PM ET (4:00 PM PT · 1:00 AM CEST Saturday). Lobby doors open 40 min before (6:20 PM ET). We'll publish a separate post with country-by-country timezones in the next few days.
What happens if I pick the wrong team?
There's no wrong team — Epic designed the experience so that both sides are worth playing. They did confirm each team lives the event from a different angle, so it's worth diving into the lore before deciding.
Can I miss the event if I don't log in?
Yes. Fortnite live events happen once inside the game. If you can't connect on Friday, the only way to watch it afterwards is on YouTube, where the community and Epic typically upload full recordings.
Do I need the Battle Pass to take part in the Showdown?
No. The Showdown and its Rivalry mechanics are open to all players. The Battle Pass only unlocks exclusive cosmetics — it doesn't gate access to the live event itself.
