Fortnite enthusiasts are increasingly vocal about their concerns regarding Epic Games’ approach to in-game cosmetics pricing. It seems the developer is upping the prices by splitting back blings from skins, a move that’s ruffling feathers among the player base. Many fans are particularly irked by the pricing strategies for bundles like those for Cowboy Bebop and Best in Show, which have been labeled as steep, fueling a wave of discontent within the community.
With the launch of Chapter 6, Season 2, Fortnite introduced new heist mechanics allowing players to score big on loot and gold. However, along with the excitement, came the OG Pass, a remix of past season skins. While the mode itself is catching on, the OG Pass’s price tag of 1,000 V-Bucks—on par with the main battle pass yet offering significantly fewer cosmetics—has been critiqued as high. Many believe this is part of a broader tactic to push Fortnite’s Crew subscription, which offers access to all passes.
Moreover, an ongoing Reddit discussion by user Shredder2025 sheds light on the apparent uptick in cosmetic prices. The Ark’ana skin, they discuss, being a variant of Ark, dropped without accompanying back blings for 1,200 V-Bucks. Shredder2025 attributes these price hikes to the removal of skin rarities, an action Epic assured wouldn’t alter pricing. Some speculate this might be an experiment in adjusting prices, as discrepancies have appeared, with some bundles coming in cheaper than expected.
Take, for instance, the Cowboy Bebop skins, which are individually priced at 1,500 V-Bucks without the back blings, the latter costing 300 V-Bucks separately. Yet, bundled together, they rack up to 3,400 V-Bucks, including skins, two back blings, harvesters, emotes, and a weapon wrap. Many believe Epic is nudging players toward the bundle by setting high prices on individual items.
A similar pattern emerges with the Best in Show bundle. Featuring dog-themed skins and accessories, this collection drew criticism for offering similar designs differentiated only by color. Although bundled at 3,500 V-Bucks, purchasing each element individually would cost 8,100 V-Bucks, a figure that has seen fans call out its absurdity.
Epic further stirred the pot when they dropped the Kicks cosmetic line. Previously, collaboration items, usually under 600 V-Bucks, are now climbing as high as 1,000 V-Bucks thanks to partnerships with major brands like Nike and Adidas. For some, these prices make Kicks their most expensive in their collection, a sentiment not shared by all. Despite these wrinkles, Chapter 6, Season 2, still manages to keep a large chunk of the player base entertained and engaged.
