Epic Games is making some changes to its Fortnite Battle Pass model that will see its standard pass getting a price increase in just a few weeks.
The gaming mega company talked players through its plans in a post on its website today. While the update details various adjustments, such as new inclusions for Fortnite Crew subscribers, the thing that’s likely to affect most battle royale fans is the slight increase in cost for the Battle Pass. Fortnite has long offered its standard pass for 950 V-Bucks, but starting December 1, the price will increase by 50, bringing the total asking number to 1,000 V-Bucks.
IGN has reached out to Epic Games for comment.
It’s a small increase in price but still undeniably notable considering Epic hasn’t altered the cost of the Fortnite Battle Pass in the past. The studio does clarify that the real-world cost of its popular digital currency will remain unchanged (you can pick up 1,000 V-Bucks on the Epic Games Store for $8.99 right now), and you’ll still be able to earn chunks of V-Bucks by reaching certain Battle Pass levels, too. While any increase in price may be worrying for fans, Epic adds that the price of its 25 Battle Pass Reward Bundle is going down from 1,850 to 1,800. IGN has reached out to Epic for comment.
These tiny but fundamental changes arrive ahead of the highly anticipated launch of Fortnite OG: Chapter 1 – Season 1 on December 6. Part of the shift to allow players to enjoy the classic battle royale experience will see the $12.99 Fortnite Crew deal sweetened to include even more goodies. The bundle currently grants subscribers the standard Fortnite Battle Pass, 1,000 V-Bucks, monthly Crew Pack outfits, Crew Pack outfit styles, and Rocket League’s Premium Rocket Pass. Starting December 1, it will be expanded to include the Music Pass and LEGO Pass without asking subscribers for a penny more.
It’s an enticing offer that will no doubt keep players investing their time in Epic’s gaming ecosystem, especially considering that earning XP in any one of the related games will progress all of their battle passes simultaneously. A Crew subscription will also grant access to any additional passes that arrive in the future, including the new, yet-to-be-detailed Fortnite OG Pass.
The catch with the Fortnite Crew upgrade is that new subscribers who sign up after December 1 will no longer be able to unlock premium rewards from the passes after their subscription is no longer active. It means that if you sign up for Crew and then cancel shortly after, you’ll only be able to claim rewards for the remainder of your billing period. Players are currently able to cancel Crew and still reap the benefits of the remaining Battle Pass as long as it’s live, and this won’t be changing for those who are currently subscribed and remain subscribed after the changes take effect.
Epic is making major changes as it looks to the future with the permanent nostalgia-fueled Fortnite OG mode. The company is currently in the midst of Chapter 5: Season 5, which will conclude when Chapter 6: Season 1 kicks off next month. Details on its theme and exact contents remain under wraps, so while we wait for more information, be sure to check out the Fortnite-themed PlayStation 5 DualSense controller that released earlier this month.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
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