Everything’s getting more expensive, even inside Fortnite. Epic Games’ free-to-play battle royale is raising the price of V-Bucks today by roughly 12.5 percent. Being the last one standing just got a little more expensive, at least if you want to look stylish and rank up the season battle pass while doing it.
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Players spend billions every year on the in-game currency to buy virtual costumes, dances, and other cosmetics for their characters. Announced last month, the October 27 price increase means players will be paying a few dollars more for each new piece of virtual gear. As just one example, the Fortnite shop’s new Alan Wake 2-themed skins cost 2,600 V-Bucks for the whole set. Previously, that would have cost about $20. Now it will be $23. Epic blames “economic factors such as inflation and currency fluctuations.” Bidenomics strikes again.
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Here’s the full breakdown:
- 1,000 V-bucks: $9 (originally $8)
- 2,800 V-bucks: $23 (originally $20)
- 5,000 V-bucks: $37 (originally $32)
- 13,500 V-bucks: $90 (originally $80)
The price hike comes as almost everything in gaming is getting more expensive, from battle passes and subscription services to new games and consoles. At the same time, companies across the video game industry are slowing hiring or engaging in large layoffs, including Epic Games. The Fortnite maker announced it would cut more than 800 staff last month after CEO Tim Sweeney appeared to realize only three months ago that the company was “spending way more money than we earn.”
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The resulting scramble led to layoffs at recently acquired studios like Mediatonic and a rushed sale of music platform Bandcamp to Songtradr. That messy transition ended with half Bandcamp’s employees getting canned and Epic refusing to recognize their union. Those laid off will still qualify for six months of severance from Epic, but the chaos has drawn criticism from those who see little accountability at the top for the apparent strategic blunders.
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Now Epic Games is teasing a return to Fornite’s very first battle royale mode map from back in 2017’s chapter 1. The update seems designed to bring back players who may have bounced off the game in the years since it first became a mega hit, while also raising questions about what new creative ideas are still left for the battle royale to explore. Epic’s chief creative officer, Donald Mustard, retired after 25 years in the video game industry last month.
If there’s one silver lining at the moment, it’s Alan Wake 2. The Epic Games-published survival horror game launched today to rave reviews and is already on many people’s shortlist for Game of The Year. It could be the biggest hit the company has funded in years, or at least the most critically acclaimed. Even if those pesky Epic Games Store achievements are still a major drag.
Sure thing! The article touches on several key concepts related to the gaming industry, microtransactions, economic factors affecting pricing, corporate strategies, and game development.
Firstly, Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, has decided to raise the price of its in-game currency, V-Bucks, by approximately 12.5 percent. This decision is attributed to economic factors such as inflation and currency fluctuations. The price increase affects various V-Bucks bundles, ranging from 1,000 V-Bucks to 13,500 V-Bucks, impacting the cost of virtual items within the game.
The article also discusses the broader context of rising costs within the gaming industry. It mentions the increasing expenses for various in-game purchases, battle passes, subscription services, new game releases, and gaming consoles. Additionally, it highlights how some gaming companies, including Epic Games, have faced financial challenges, leading to layoffs and strategic reevaluations.
Corporate decisions, such as layoffs and acquisitions, have affected subsidiaries like Mediatonic and Bandcamp, with criticisms arising due to the handling of these transitions. Epic Games' actions, particularly the layoff of staff and the sale of Bandcamp, have drawn attention to the accountability of top management for strategic missteps.
In terms of game development, the article notes Epic Games' plans to revisit Fortnite's original battle royale mode map, aiming to attract players who may have moved away from the game since its initial release in 2017. This move raises questions about the game's ongoing innovation and creative directions within the battle royale genre. Additionally, it mentions the retirement of Epic's chief creative officer, Donald Mustard, after 25 years in the video game industry.
Furthermore, the article briefly touches on the release of Alan Wake 2, a survival horror game published by Epic Games. It highlights the positive reception and anticipation surrounding the game, potentially making it a significant success for the company despite certain issues with the Epic Games Store achievements.
These concepts collectively portray a snapshot of the gaming industry's economic aspects, corporate strategies, development decisions, and the evolving landscape of in-game purchases and player engagement.
