Epic Games has some good news and bad news for Fortnite fans: Battle pass-exclusive skins and certain items that appear in future battle passes may also be sold through the in-game shop at some point, the company said. That will go a long way to reducing the fear of missing out that comes with battle pass exclusives, but will also reduce the cachet of scoring those time-limited items.
In a post on the official Fortnite blog, Epic says that items in future battle passes “might be offered for purchase in the Fortnite Shop after 18 or more months from the Battle Pass’ expiration.” While 18 months minimum is a lengthy window of battle pass exclusivity, and Epic makes no guarantee that all battle pass exclusives will be sold à la carte later, it will be welcome news for Fortnite fans who miss out on a coveted “exclusive” in the coming years.
The change in battle pass exclusivity, Epic says, will let the developer “continue investing in new and exciting Battle Pass rewards while enabling players down the road to also enjoy the content, including Outfits based on popular licensed characters.” It is also a way for Epic to earn more revenue on skins outside of the battle pass, which costs 950 V-Bucks or $8.49.
Epic’s stance on battle pass exclusives doesn’t appear to extend to past battle passes and their exclusive skins — sorry if you missed out getting that Darth Vader or Raven skin. Reached for comment, an Epic spokesperson said the company had nothing further to share on its battle pass plans beyond what was announced in its blog.
Maybe there’s hope for some older seasonal exclusives, though. On Tuesday, Epic re-released a Fortnite Season X skin from 2019 — The Paradigm — through the in-game store, an addition described as an “accidental return to the Shop.”