Fortnite week 5 challenges delayed as strange bug hits game

The delay was always planned – but an issue with communicating it was not

Fortnite, a video game that has become easily the most popular of 2018 and has quickly become a cultural phenomenon

Fortnite's week 5 challenges have been delayed, despite a strange bug that suggests they haven't been.

The new updates had been expected to arrive today, since they are usually released on Tuesday. What's more, the countdown timer appeared to suggest they should have done, since it was stuck at zero seconds.

But the day that new challenges arrive has now been changed, developers Epic Games said. And the countdown timer was the consequence of a bug that appears to have hung on from the old schedule.

New challenges will now be available every Thursday, developers said – including this Thursday, when the week five challenges will be available.

"This was an intended change to push back Weekly Challenges to Thursdays," Fortnite posted on its official Twitter. The update will still go live at its normal time – 9am UK time, or 4am eastern.

Weekly challenges offer extra objectives to players in the game – and extra rewards to people who do.

This week's may have already been leaked, according to the website Fortnite Tracker. They include a range of different challenges, ranging from so easy you might accomplish them by accident to very difficult.