2026-03-11 13:00:13

Epic Games has said it is raising the price of V-Bucks used in Fortnite because the cost of operating the game has apparently soared – prompting criticism from players.

The developer Epic Games announced that from 19 March the amount of V-Bucks players receive when purchasing the in-game currency will be reduced.

It also confirmed bonus currency rewards will be removed from the game’s main battle pass, though the cost of that pass will decrease.

Fortnite, which launched in 2017 and is free to play, generates revenue primarily through optional purchases including subscriptions, cosmetic items and seasonal passes known as microtransactions.

Despite the change to currency packs, Epic said the main battle pass – an optional seasonal upgrade that unlocks additional rewards – will become cheaper.

According to Epic’s announcement, players purchasing V-Bucks will receive fewer coins than before.

The change means an $8.99 pack will provide 800 V-Bucks instead of 1,000, while a $22.99 pack will include 2,400 V-Bucks rather than 2,800. A $36.99 pack will include 4,500 V-Bucks instead of 5,000, and an $89.99 pack will include 12,500 V-Bucks rather than 13,500.

Subscribers to the game’s monthly Fortnite Crew will also see their monthly allowance reduced.

Instead of receiving 1,000 V-Bucks each month, members will now receive 800.

Epic said the cost of the main battle pass will fall from 1,000 V-Bucks to 800 V-Bucks, while three additional passes in the game will also see reductions of 200 V-Bucks.

A social media account dedicated to Fortnite updates said the price shift marked a historic change for the game.

The account said: “For the first time in Fortnite history, V-Bucks will now be more expensive than they were when the game launched in 2017.”

The changes prompted criticism from some players on the social media platform X, with some questioning Epic’s explanation for the price increase.

One user wrote: “Epic is a big company that made this decision because they know their customers will pay regardless.”

Some players also said they planned to cancel subscriptions to Fortnite Crew and questioned whether the decision could lead to further reductions in in-game content.

Vic Hood a freelance games journalist, said the change could surprise some players given recent financial data reported by Epic.

Vic told the BBC: “While a price increase for V-Bucks isn’t ideal for players, it’s preferable to something more extreme like making it a paid-for, rather than free-to-play game.”

Vic also said the decision came shortly after Epic revealed player spending on third-party titles available through the Epic Games Store had reached a record $400m.

And Vic added the storefront had also experienced a decline in spending on third-party games during 2023 and 2024.

Epic has previously been involved in legal disputes with Google concerning in-app purchase fees in mobile app stores.

Industry analysts say the gaming sector has experienced widespread price increases in hardware, software and subscription services over the past year, driven by rising development costs, inflation and tariffs.

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