"The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot and we’re raising prices to help pay the bills."
Epic Games has announced that Fortnite VBucks will undergo changes beginning on March 19, coinciding with the Chapter 7 Season 2 launch. You will now receive fewer VBucks for your dollar, whereas the game’s various Passes, including the seasonal Battle Pass, will cost slightly less than it does now.
Here is everything you should know about these changes before the new season goes live.
Fortnite VBucks changes explained
Epic Games kept the explanation for these changes simple, saying, “The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot and we’re raising prices to help pay the bills.” As a result, you will receive fewer VBucks than before when buying them directly through Fortnite.
Spending $8.99 until now would net you 1,000 VBucks, but starting March 19, you will instead receive 800 VBucks. The same applies to the $22.99, $36.99, and $89.99 packs. Below is a complete list of the changes as per Epic Games:
| Pack* | Previous | New | With Epic Rewards* |
|---|---|---|---|
| $8.99 Pack | 1,000 V-Bucks | 800 V-Bucks | +$1.79 back |
| $22.99 Pack | 2,800 V-Bucks | 2,400 V-Bucks | +$4.59 back |
| $36.99 Pack | 5,000 V-Bucks | 4,500 V-Bucks | +$7.39 back |
| $89.99 Pack | 13,500 V-Bucks | 12,500 V-Bucks | +$17.99 back |
| Exact Amount Pack | ~$0.50* for 50 V-Bucks | $0.99* for 50 V-Bucks |
For reference, a typical Fortnite skin can cost anywhere from 800 to 1,500 VBucks. The more desirable skins, such as video game collabs, Icon Series, and such, rarely cost less than 1,200 VBucks.
These VBucks changes will also affect the Fortnite Battle Pass, Music Pass, and LEGO Pass. All three will cost 200 fewer VBucks than before, bringing their totals to the following:
- Battle Pass – 800 VBucks instead of 1,000
- Music Pass – 1,200 VBucks instead of 1,4000
- LEGO Pass – 1,200 VBucks instead of 1,4000
Additionally, where the Fortnite Battle Pass would always net you 1,000 free VBucks, you will now earn 800 VBucks to match the cost of the Pass.
Fortnite Crew now rewards 200 fewer V-Bucks than before
Perhaps the most alarming of the changes is that the monthly Fortnite Crew membership will provide subscribers with 800 VBucks instead of 1,000. The catch is that it will still cost you $11.99 per month. So, you are technically receiving fewer perks than before, but it’s worth noting that the Crew membership includes the Battle Pass, Music Pass, and LEGO Pass.
How did players respond to these changes?
The members of Fortnite’s official subreddit did not take kindly to the changes to VBucks. Some have called for a boycott, while others have called out Epic Games for allegedly cutting costs elsewhere. Multiple commenters under Epic Games’ official post regarding the changes have said they have canceled or plan to cancel their Fortnite Crew subscription.
A few posts have followed on the subreddit, further outlining the fan outrage. However, it’s unclear whether this will encourage Epic Games to reverse or adjust any of these Fortnite VBucks changes. Only time will tell as fans continue sounding off on this unexpected change ahead of a new season.