Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 3: What Does Waiting in Queue Error Means and How to Fix It

When you try to join a game or log in to the servers in Fortnite, you see the notification "Waiting in Queue." This tutorial will walk you through all you need to know about the message and how to get back into the game.

What Does Waiting in Queue Mean in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 3?

When you try to open up Fortnite and get the 'Waiting in Queue' problem message, it means that there are presently too many players trying to join a game or log into the servers for the servers to handle. It could possibly be due to the servers being taken offline for routine maintenance. Rather than not allowing you to play at all, Fortnite will place you in a login queue so that as soon as the servers are up and running, it can begin letting people in as quickly as possible.

As a result, you've been placed in a queue so that the servers can handle each player's request one at a time, preventing the servers from becoming overburdened and crashing. This is a precautionary measure taken to avoid unplanned downtime, and it's one of those things you'll have to cope with.

Can You Fix ‘Waiting in Queue’ in Fortnite?

No, there's no way to prevent this error message from appearing. Your best bet is to just sit tight and wait for the servers to ultimately reach your position in the queue, or for them to come back online if there's just scheduled downtime, such as at the start of a new season or when a new update is issued every fortnight on a Tuesday.

If you attempt closing and restarting the game, you're essentially resetting your position in the queue, which will just lengthen the time it takes for you to be able to play the game again. With any luck, the 'Waiting in Queue' message will vanish and new players attempting to log in or join a game will no longer see it. This will happen once the unexpected influx of new players joining and logging in has reduced, so if you don't want to wait, try again in 10-15 minutes.