Fortnite is selling a puppy in the item shop that bears a strong resemblance to a skin in the Battle Pass. Originally, there was never any intention to sell skins from the Battle Pass. What’s going on?
Which skin is it about? Fortnite is selling the pet “Gunner” and players are furious about that. Moreover, the price is also set far too high. In the store, the dog Gunner costs 1,000 V-Bucks, which is roughly 10 €.
Gunner is a clear reskin of Bonesy, which was available in the Battle Pass of Season 6. A reskin is a reuse of a skin with minimal changes.
Visually, the two pets hardly differ. If you place them side by side, it becomes clear:
- Gunner has a logo on his scarf, Bonesy does not
- If you look closely, you’ll notice that Gunner does not have yellow fur but wears a ski mask on his head
It must be evident that this is a reskin.
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What does Epic Games think about the sale of such skins? As Forbes reports, Epic is breaking its philosophy regarding Battle Passes. They say they never want to sell items from the Battle Pass in the store.
Whether reskins also fall under this promise remains unclear. Previously, Epic Games had already offered reskins of items from the Battle Pass, but those were unlockable style options that could be unlocked through in-game actions and should not be paid for in the store.
Now, Gunner costs 1,000 V-Bucks. That’s 50 V-Bucks more than a Battle Pass for a season would cost.
What’s the problem with that? Fortnite players are now uncertain whether the items from the Battle Pass of a season will remain exclusive, or whether there’s a risk that they will later be simply sold as simple reskins with a few color changes in the store.
Player OhMyCaren writes on Reddit: “It’s not about the stupid pet. It’s about the effect this will have on skins in Fortnite. Now they can handle this with any skin and it’s okay if we don’t say anything against it.”
“This is a clear warning sign for me. At what point will the difference be small enough for people to get it? Back when Skull Trooper was controversial, many argued, ‘It’s not a Battle Pass, so it’s all good.’ Now look how the rules are changing,” writes Tolbana on Reddit.
There are currently issues with purchasable content in other gaming sectors as well. For example, in Apex Legends, which frustrates players with a really expensive item:
