Game mode in Fortnite attracts over 1 million concurrent players, lets them spin for real money at the lucky wheel

Due to an update in Fortnite, developers can now earn money with their game modes. In the fan map “Steal the Brainrot,” this leads to a problem: There is now a roulette wheel that includes gambling elements.

Update 01/15/2025, 12:45 PM: We have extensively revised the article. We have clarified that it is not an official mode of Fortnite and added details about Epic’s guidelines as well as the reception on social media.

What kind of game mode is this? In recent weeks, a game mode in Fortnite has gained great popularity: Steal the Brainrot. In this mode, so-called “Brainrots”, or characters from the internet, can be collected and stolen by other players.

This is a mode that was created by an independent developer as part of the “Creator Island” program. “Steal the Brainrot” is not an official mode of Fortnite, but comes from the developer Ferins. Similar modes also exist in Roblox.

That the mode is not official does not diminish its success in any way: On fortnite.gg, it is recorded that since the creation of the game mode, there has been a peak of 1,087,974 simultaneous players.

In November 2025, Fortnite released a new update: Developers of such Islands can now earn money through the sale of items. However, store fees apply, ranging from 12% for PC players via the Epic Games Store to 30% on consoles.

In “Steal the Brainrot,” this monetization now takes place in the form of a lucky wheel, which many view critically.

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V-Bucks for Random Rewards

What is this Wheel of Fortune? The Wheel of Fortune in “Steal the Brainrot” allows players to spin it once every 4 hours for a random reward. However, it is also possible to skip this waiting time with V-Bucks.

As beebom.com reports, the prices are as follows:

1 spin costs 100 V-Bucks, which is approximately 0.80 Euros
3 spins for 200 V-Bucks, which is about 1.60 Euros

Additionally, there is a limited-time shop where Brainrots can be purchased. A single Brainrot costs about 2,700 V-Bucks, which is roughly 21 Euros, and 2 Brainrots cost 4,900 V-Bucks, which is approximately 35 Euros.

This places the bundle with 2 Brainrots at the upper limit of the maximum price developers can charge for transactions on their islands. Here, Epic sets a limit of 5,000 V-Bucks.

The downside is that the Brainrots available for purchase from the shops are not permanent items, but rather Brainrots that can be stolen at any time as well. Thus, a purchase does not guarantee permanent ownership.

What does Epic say about this? Gambling is expressly against the Developer Rules in Fortnite. However, paid random items are allowed, but creators must also adhere to regulations:

Developers must ensure that players are accurately shown their chances of getting a specific item before purchase. While all segments of the Wheel of Fortune are the same size, the probability of actually landing on them is indicated as a percentage within the segment.
The offered items must comply with local laws. For instance, in some countries, starting March 2026, paid random items can no longer be offered to underage users.

Moreover, Epic provides tools for parents to customize their children’s experience in Fortnite. Through the Parental Controls, paid random items can be disabled, preventing players from purchasing such items with V-Bucks.

What is the issue? While random items, such as loot boxes or a Wheel of Fortune, are not classified as gambling under German law, experts and consumer organizations warn against such gambling-like mechanisms (Source: Report from the Federal Association of Consumer Centers).

Similarly, users on social media view the changes very critically. On X, the monetization is repeatedly described as “literal gambling,” notably criticizing that “Steal the Brainrot” primarily targets underage players.