For years, Fortnite has worked on a strict FOMO model when it comes to its skins. The concept is simple: if you didn’t play during a certain three-month window 4 or 5 years ago, you are permanently locked out of ever being granted certain skins exclusive to that period. This is one of the most contentious topics within the community, with players on both sides voicing their opinions on whether cosmetic exclusivity should stick around in the game.
Now, though, Epic has begun shifting its philosophy slightly and has introduced changes like returning skins from old Fortnite Battle Passes after 18 months. In a more recent example, the developers brought back the Indigo Kuno skin, which was only available through a PlayStation Cup back in the day. With all of these “community initiatives” towards doing away with the skin exclusivity, as a longtime Fortnite player myself, I have to say: it’s about time. To me, exclusivity is a net negative for the game in the long run, and getting rid of it could do wonders for the game’s longevity.
The Fortnite “OG” Flex Was Manufactured, Not Earned
Let me just start by saying that exclusivity is simply arbitrary, manufactured rarity. If you hang out in any Fortnite-related social media circles, you are well aware of the loud corner of the community that treats rare and OG skins like some sort of sacred status symbol. So many players out there continue to argue, to this day, that exclusivity is an essential part of the game’s cosmetic ecosystem.
They believe that if you put in the hours during the early days of the game or bought a specific console bundle at the right time, you are inherently entitled to exclusive skins that prove your status as an OG. It is a badge of honor to them, and there’s nothing wrong with that, especially with the number of Fortnite skins there are at this point. But to me? It just feels like a manufactured prestige system.
The streaming culture is a big factor behind this mentality. A lot of popular streamers and content creators have planted a misconception in players’ heads regarding the in-game cosmetics. Statements like ‘you don’t have the OG Skull Trooper?’ or ‘This pickaxe is OG and special,’ have played a massive role in convincing players that the most important aspect of Fortnite is skins, rather than the mechanical skill that is required to excel at the game.
Owning a skin shouldn’t be impressive just because you had a working gaming console and ten bucks to spare in 2018. Epic might place emphasis on the game’s cosmetics a lot, but at the end of the day, true prestige lies in overall gameplay skills and climbing the Fortnite Ranks, not just a cosmetic that you happened to buy back in the day.
Darth Vader Didn’t Conquer the Galaxy Just to Be Battle Pass FOMO
The worst part of exclusivity is that players inevitably get locked out of playing as iconic pop-culture characters. Imagine being a Star Wars fan starting out in Fortnite, and you are excited to play as Darth Vader during matches. But then, you get hit with the cold water that you can never play as him because you missed a Fortnite Battle Pass years ago. Pop culture icons are some of the biggest draws for the Fortnite player base, so why are some of them made available in a way that a majority of players will never be able to obtain them?
Just take a look at Chapter 2 Season 4, which featured a Battle Pass comprised exclusively of iconic Marvel characters like Iron Man and Thor Odinson. If you didn’t play and purchase the Battle Pass during Chapter 2 Season 4, you have basically missed out on the base versions of some of the most beloved fictional characters out there.
Again, while Epic has tried rectifying this by making the Chapter 5 Season 4 Battle Pass (another Marvel season) not be exclusive. However, if you want the classic versions of these characters, well, you’re out of luck. Another frustrating instance of skin exclusivity comes from Chapter 2, yet again, with Rick Sanchez being locked within the Chapter 2 Season 7 Battle Pass.
Simply put, it’s discouraging to new players. Yes, Epic has introduced variants of characters locked behind Battle Passes before. This includes the Samurai Vader skin variant for Darth Vader. But locking one of the most iconic villains of all time away in a vault forever just feels wrong and unwelcoming to fans of the franchise.
The lack of access to certain characters just because players discovered the game “too late” doesn’t feel like it’s a reward for loyalty. Rather, it just punishes newcomers and even returning players who may have taken a break from the game for a while.
Let Fortnite Players Vote With Their V-Bucks
No one can deny there is a demand for OG skins. We all remember the madness that ensued when skins like Skull Trooper and Renegade Raider hit the Fortnite Item Shop after they had gained a “rare” status. You couldn’t escape Renegade Raiders, no matter where you went in a match. Or when Blaze, the lava remix of Renegade Raider, came out in Chapter 2 Season 3, and was used by more players than the Battle Pass skins from that season.
If players are willing to pay to play as some of their favourite characters, then what’s the issue here? This is not to say exclusivity has no place in the Fortnite skin ecosystem. In my opinion, the exclusivity should be limited to Item Shop rotations rather than Battle Passes that were available years ago. By opening the doors and letting skins like Spider-Man from Chapter 3 Season 1 and Optimus Prime from Chapter 4 Season 3 rotate back into availability, Epic can maintain a much more welcoming environment.
This is even without mentioning how egregious the pricing for certain collaborations has gotten over the years. Back in the day, the pricing model for collaborations was simple and straightforward. Individual skins used to be priced at 1,500 – 2,000 V-Bucks, with the bundles being heavily discounted and landing around 2,200 to 2,800 V-Bucks.
But now, with the increase in V-Bucks prices and Epic shifting its philosophy, the massive bundle discounts are nowhere to be found. High-profile crossovers have been pushing the ceiling of what a bundle can cost, with the recent Game of Thrones set going for up to 4,000 V-Bucks. Despite all this, players are willing to pay to play as their favourite characters, so just imagine how players would rush to the Item Shop in droves if they were to get a chance to grab some classic, iconic skins.
Fortnite’s Past Shouldn’t Keep Punishing Its Future Players
Now, we have a live example of this phenomenon, as Epic recently brought back Unvaulted Fortnite Absolute Doom Battle Pass skins to the Item Shop. This marks the first time any Battle Pass cosmetics have ever returned after their respective season. Epic has priced the returning skins like the usual Battle Pass pricing, meaning skins like Gwenpool and Peelverine, which were available for only 950 V-Bucks through the Chapter 5 Season 4 Battle Pass, are now priced at 1,500 V-Bucks each.
The returning cosmetics, altogether, come out to be 11,600 V-Bucks. I don’t need to tell you that that’s an absurd price point. However, I don’t see any players complaining about the price on social media; they are just waiting for more. This further proves that players are willing to pay whatever price Epic puts forward for returning Battle Pass skins. All they need to do is listen to the community and bring back cosmetics that players actually want.
At the end of the day, breaking down these walls of manufactured rarity is not only great for the player base but could also be a wise business decision for Epic in the long run. As I said, the developers have already started with small steps towards making skins more accessible. One can only hope that they maintain this trajectory and let the entire community enjoy the plethora of content the game has to offer.
Where do you stand when it comes to the exclusivity debate in Fortnite? Tell us in the comments below!
