My Fortnite locker, the title of the UI interface that comprises all of my beauty objects, has change into the online game equal of a junk drawer. Rummage by way of my account, and also you’ll discover a backpack model of Ninken from Naruto lined up subsequent to a rainbow gun wrap I acquired from the 2021 Satisfaction 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 apprehensive that latest modifications within the Fortnite subscription service from Epic Video games ignore a easy fact: Generally, much less is extra.
On Wednesday, Epic Video games introduced a large change to Fortnite Crew, its month-to-month subscription service that awards gamers with the Battle Royale battle cross, V-bucks, and different perks. Beginning on Dec. 1, Fortnite Crew subscribers will get content material from the Music Move and Lego Move at no further value. So as soon as the change goes reside, gamers who subscribe to it will likely 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 individuals extra objects without spending a dime. If I subscribe and I solely wish to play the Battle Royale mode, I’ll nonetheless find yourself with an entire lot of different cosmetics from different video games on Fortnite. Along with that, Epic Video games has additionally modified how the battle cross works, so leveling up one cross will unlock the objects on one other. This manner, you don’t must grind every recreation individually in the event you’re inquisitive 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 cross (exterior of the Crew subscription) will probably be raised in worth from 950 to 1,000 V-bucks.
The value hike doesn’t considerably change how a lot you pay in {dollars}. You should buy 1,000 V-bucks for $8.99 from the in-game store. Moreover, 50 V-bucks isn’t precisely an exorbitant quantity of foreign money, and it isn’t even sufficient to purchase a low-tier emote. Nonetheless, in the event you’re a daily 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 objects out and in!)
For me, gradual worth hikes like this solely serve to reinforce the worth of the subscription service and permit gamers to justify springing for the full-on premium Fortnite subscription. It’s virtually like the fashionable online game equal of bundling cable or streaming providers — you may not need every thing in there, however as a result of all the person components are getting so costly, it will definitely makes monetary sense.
What’s extra is that modifications like this are catered towards how Epic Video games desires its customers to have interaction with its platform, moderately than the precise means the vast majority of its gamers do. At time of publication, Lego Fornite has 24,600 lively customers, and Fortnite Competition has 8,500 gamers. Compared, the unranked model of the Battle Royale mode has greater than 542,000 gamers, and Zero Construct has 344,800 gamers. As an alternative of enhancing the battle cross expertise round these video games, Epic Video games has determined to lift the worth and shove a bunch of unneeded objects 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 in the case of beauty objects. I desire a constant battle cross worth. I desire a locker and emote wheel that I can really manage. I don’t wish to grind the battle cross leveling, and I’d like the flexibility to purchase outdated skins. So whereas the Fortnite Crew change may appear all proper on the floor, it certain does really feel like the corporate is throwing an entire lot of junk in my face.