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Fortnite "The Hand" event explained: when does the live event start?

Fortnite's Chapter 5 Season 2 live event is starting very soon, with the hand emerging from beneath the island

Last night there was a flurry of activity in Fortnite and a lot of confusion in the fanbase, as it seemed like the next live event was starting very suddenly, but it seems we’ve got a bit more time as it continues to build up.

After the most recent update, a strange crack appeared on the battle royale island, and occasional mini-earthquakes occurred on the island – and this isn’t a one-time occurrence.

According to high-profile leakers like Hypex, 46 tremors will occur over the next couple of days, and will periodically cause new cracks to appear on the island. Here are when the cracks are expected to appear:

  • Shake 9 – 11pm ET February 29
  • Shake 18 – 8am ET March 1
  • Shake 27 – 5pm ET March 1
  • Shake 36 – 2am ET March 2
  • Shake 45 – 11am ET March 2
  • Shake 46 – 12pm ET March 2

One hour after the final shake, at 1pm ET on March 2, the Titan Hand will emerge from the ground. This huge fiery hand likely doesn’t have good intentions for the island, and players online at the time might have a much bigger foe to deal with than each other.

No matter what happens, this will undoubtedly play a big role in the Ancient Greek-themed Chapter 5 Season 2, set to begin on March 8. If you want to know what previous events have been like, check out our ranking of the best Fortnite live events.