Fortnite maker Epic Games is increasing the price of its in-game currency, V-Bucks, because it’s becoming more expensive to run Fortnite, it announced Tuesday. “The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot and we’re raising prices to help pay the bills,” the company wrote in a blog post. Fortnite players now get fewer V-Bucks for the same amount of money the currency was previously available for. The price changes go into effect on March 19, when the next Fortnite season begins.
$8.99 previously purchased 1,000 V-Bucks, but that price will now net 800 V-Bucks. $22.99 was the going rate for 2,800 V-Bucks, which will now go for 2,400 V-Bucks. $36.99 was the price for 5,000 V-Bucks, now 4,500 V-Bucks. $89.99 used to get you 13,500 V-Bucks, now 12,500 V-Bucks. If you need a few extra V-Bucks to reach an exact amount, that’s now $0.99 for 50 V-Bucks, which is nearly double the old price of $0.50 V-Bucks.
The Epic Rewards program will give players 20 percent back for V-Bucks purchases, and that credit can be used in Fortnite, other Epic Games games, or on the Epic Games Store. V-Bucks gift cards that have already been purchased are still valued at the original amount.
Epic Games didn’t expand on the reasons for increasing the price of V-Bucks, aside from the vague statement that the cost of running the game has gone up.
Beyond the price of V-Bucks, Epic Games is making changes to the price of its Battle Pass, too—it’s going down. The Fortnite Battle Pass now costs 800 V-Bucks and awards 800 V-Bucks for completion, down from 1,000 V-Bucks. (You could previously earn a total of 1,500 V-Bucks back, however, including bonus rewards, Epic Games said.) The cost of the Battle Bundle, which is the Battle Pass and 25 levels automatically unlocked, is going down to 2,600 V-Bucks from 2,800 V-Bucks.
The prices for the OG Pass, Music Pass, and LEGO Pass are going down, too. The OG Pass is 800 V-Bucks, down from 1,000 V-Bucks. The Music Pass is 1,200 V-Bucks, down from 1,400 V-Bucks, and the LEGO Pass is 1,200 V-Bucks, down from 1,400 V-Bucks.
Fortnite is estimated to make billions in revenue each year, and often holds down the top spots for games by active players. The free-to-play game brings in money through V-Bucks, the currency used to buy the game’s popular, culturally-relevant cosmetics. Epic Games also allows developers who create games in its user-generated content sections sell items through microtransactions on their own islands, something Epic Games introduced to Fortnite in December.
Epic Games’ price elevation follows increases from across the industry on hardware, software, and subscriptions.
