My Fortnite locker, the identify of the UI interface that comprises all of my beauty gadgets, has change into the online game equal of a junk drawer. Rummage by my account, and also you’ll discover a backpack model of Ninken from Naruto lined up subsequent to a rainbow gun wrap I received from the 2021 Pleasure assortment. The sport comprises sub-menus for emotes, wraps, vehicles, devices, and Lego kits. It’s all an excessive amount of, and to be frank, I’m anxious that latest adjustments within the Fortnite subscription service from Epic Video games ignore a easy fact: Typically, much less is extra.
On Wednesday, Epic Video games introduced a giant change to Fortnite Crew, its month-to-month subscription service that awards gamers with the Battle Royale battle move, V-bucks, and different perks. Beginning on Dec. 1, Fortnite Crew subscribers will get content material from the Music Cross and Lego Cross at no further price. So as soon as the change goes dwell, gamers who subscribe to it is going to be capable of progress and redeem cosmetics on the opposite video games on the platform, like battle passes from Fortnite Competition and Lego Fortnite.
On the floor, this appears to be like extraordinarily pro-consumer — and in some ways, it’s. It’s basically giving folks extra gadgets without cost. If I subscribe and I solely need to play the Battle Royale mode, I’ll nonetheless find yourself with a complete lot of different cosmetics from different video games on Fortnite. Along with that, Epic Video games has additionally modified how the battle move works, so leveling up one move will unlock the gadgets on one other. This fashion, you don’t must grind every sport individually for those who’re serious about incomes cosmetics from different battle passes.
It sounds nice, however the announcement got here with one other discover: The usual worth of the Battle Royale battle move (outdoors of the Crew subscription) might be raised in worth from 950 to 1,000 V-bucks.
The worth hike doesn’t considerably change how a lot you pay in {dollars}. You should purchase 1,000 V-bucks for $8.99 from the in-game store. Moreover, 50 V-bucks isn’t precisely an exorbitant quantity of forex, and it isn’t even sufficient to purchase a low-tier emote. Nonetheless, for those who’re an everyday participant, that quantity can add up, and even a paltry 50 V-bucks might make or break whether or not or not you’ll be able to buy a sure pores and skin within the retailer on any given day. (Which issues, as a result of who is aware of when your favourite beauty will return to the Fortnite store, because it rotates gadgets out and in!)
For me, gradual worth hikes like this solely serve to boost the worth of the subscription service and permit gamers to justify springing for the full-on premium Fortnite subscription. It’s nearly like the fashionable online game equal of bundling cable or streaming providers — you won’t need every thing in there, however as a result of all the person elements are getting so costly, it will definitely makes monetary sense.
What’s extra is that adjustments like this are catered towards how Epic Video games needs its customers to have interaction with its platform, somewhat than the precise approach nearly all of its gamers do. At time of publication, Lego Fornite has 24,600 energetic customers, and Fortnite Competition has 8,500 gamers. As compared, the unranked model of the Battle Royale mode has greater than 542,000 gamers, and Zero Construct has 344,800 gamers. As a substitute of bettering the battle move expertise round these video games, Epic Video games has determined to lift the worth and shove a bunch of unneeded gadgets into the lockers of its Fortnite Crew subscribers.
As a Battle Royale participant, I don’t need extra junk. I desire a clear pricing system on the subject of beauty gadgets. I desire a constant battle move worth. I desire a locker and emote wheel that I can really set up. I don’t need to grind the battle move leveling, and I’d like the power to purchase previous skins. So whereas the Fortnite Crew change may appear all proper on the floor, it positive does really feel like the corporate is throwing a complete lot of junk in my face.
