Fortnite announces a price increase for V-Bucks and the community is furious: “This change is going to ruin us”
Epic Games has once again angered the Fortnite community with the announcement of a price increase for its virtual currency with the arrival of its new season.
The Fortnite community can’t catch a break: after numerous—and controversial—recent changes to the game, such as the silent removal of bot lobbies, Epic Games has now made a move that has once again angered its fans... and with good reason. Starting March 19, the price of V-Bucks—the game’s virtual currency—will increase. The announcement has sparked an avalanche of comments criticizing the company, with the most pessimistic already believing that the measure will harm the game.
The most controversial change to Fortnite in years: Epic Games announces another increase in the price of V-Bucks
On March 10, Epic Games broke the bad news to players on Fortnite’s social media accounts and in a blog post on the game’s official website. “The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot and we’re raising prices to help pay the bills,” begins the post in question, announcing a change that will take effect on March 19, 2026.
V-Bucks are mainly used to purchase items in the game’s daily store, such as skins and other cosmetic items. Since Fortnite is a free-to-play game, this is its main source of income. As can be seen in the official table, the new prices will be as follows:
| 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 |
As you can see, the price of the packs remains the same, but after the change, you will get fewer V-Bucks for the same price, which amounts to an effective price increase. As expected, the community’s reaction has been mostly negative, and social media sites such as X are full of critical comments about Epic Games’ decision, especially considering that the increase coincides with the launch of Chapter 7 Season 2. Its trailer reveals the return of beloved characters such as The Ice King and The Foundation, as well as a new Marvel’s Captain America outfit, so some are already interpreting it as a deliberate nostalgic hook to cushion the impact of the price increase.
On the other hand, there are also those who believe that Epic’s explanations regarding the price increase are too vague and ambiguous, arguing that the real cost of the game’s numerous recent collaborations will ultimately fall on the players themselves.
This isn’t the first time Epic Games has adjusted the price of Fortnite’s virtual currency in recent times. The last increase came in October 2023, when the company applied a similar increase in several markets, also justifying it on economic grounds such as inflation and currency fluctuations.
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