We come from one of the craziest weeks in Fortnite. Even the Battle Pass is now being given away. But why is that? Why is so much changing in Fortnite right now?
That was the belief a week ago: Fortnite is at the end of Season 7. Normally, this is a quiet time for the shooter.
A week ago, it was thought that the coming weeks would be particularly quiet in Fortnite: After all, Season 7 lasts two weeks too long and nothing major was planned.
The biggest changes in Fortnite since September 2017
This past week was so crazy in Fortnite: What seemed like the quietest time in the history of the shooter suddenly became increasingly crazy and turbulent:
- On Thursday, February 14, Fortnite announced that this time everyone can earn the Season 8 Battle Pass for free – a first. Normally, it costs €9.50 and is one of the main sources of income for Epic.
- Furthermore, Fortnite has changed the basic rules of the game and now rewards an aggressive playstyle – perhaps the most significant change since the release in September 2017.
- And there is a special skin for €20, where you can get the purchase price back in V-Bucks if you play hard enough. Such a thing has never happened before.
What is behind this?
These are Fortnite’s current goals: Apparently, Epic wants to achieve three goals:
- Epic wants to increase player retention: Players should play Fortnite vigorously again at the end of February to earn the Battle Pass or the €20 skin. They should be active during a time when there is normally no incentive to play Fortnite.
- Epic also wants to keep Fortnite fresh and fast, which is what the gameplay changes are for.
- And Epic wants to lead players even more to the cash shop and microtransactions, also enticing “payment refusers” with the “free” Battle Pass and trying to sell them the skin package.
Thanks, Apex!
This is the obvious explanation: In fact, most fans suspect that the sudden activity in Fortnite is directly related to the emergence of competitor Apex Legends. They reached 25 million players within 10 days and have become a serious competitor for Fortnite on Twitch.
Respawn has been putting pressure on Epic since February 4, prompting them to take such actions, many players believe.
It was often read in the patch notes: “Thanks Apex” – because of you, Epic is now addressing problems that have been bothering players for more than 10 weeks, such as intrusive ziplines or overly powerful rocket launchers and hand cannons.
That Fortnite is “giving away” the Battle Pass seems completely incomprehensible to many, as it is considered a major revenue source at the beginning of each season for Fortnite.
A gift is also economically sensible
But is it really so? In fact, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. While the emergence of Apex and Fortnite’s direct response coincide in time, they do not necessarily have to function as cause and effect.
Epic is quick. However, it seems unlikely that they would overhaul their entire strategy within a few days. Epic probably had these surprises planned in advance:
After an extraordinarily strong Christmas quarter, in which revenues flowed and Fortnite was maximally profit-driven, the coffers are filled to the brim. Epic is ready to invest in player retention in the long term.
Transparent loot boxes in Fortnite: Save the World also speak for this.
Fortnite can afford to be generous
What would the situation be like without Apex? Because Epic’s actions would also make sense without direct competitive pressure.
Epic is temporarily forgoing revenue from the Battle Pass with the assumption that a “free Battle Pass” will indirectly generate money later, when people buy tiers for the pass or become hooked and then purchase additional skins and Battle Passes in the following months.
The idea of giving players a “Battle Pass” for free to convince them of the offering and then ultimately to make them buyers of future passes is quite logical.
After all, you might turn a “casual player” into a “regular player” who chases challenges and is willing to spend money in the shop.
For Fortnite, it is extremely important to excite players for a microtransaction for the first time. Because then Epic gains a paying customer who has linked their accounts with Fortnite and is just a few clicks away from spending more money in the shooter.
The balancing changes do not necessarily have to have been directly caused by Apex: Epic is known for regularly testing new things to bring momentum into the game. They also did not shy away from severe changes that drove people insane.
The current structural balance changes in Fortnite have already been tested in tournaments, so they are not quick decisions.
This is why Apex is still important for Fortnite: It will definitely be interesting to see how the emergence of a strong competitor changes the dynamics of Fortnite in the long term.
For players, it can only be good, if Apex Legends now challenges Fortnite.
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