For a fleeting period, LEGO Fortnite emerged as a darling among gamers, its innovative blend of Lego-themed creativity with survival-genre hooks attracting a completely new demographic within online battle royale’s free-to-play universe. Today, however, the game’s producer, Epic, stirred up a furor with its announcement of fresh LEGO Kits: unique structures one can fabricate and incorporate into one’s virtual settlements.
However, the jubilation ordinarily accompanying such a development has been conspicuously muted. The chief reason for this underwhelmed response is the pricing model Epic has adopted for these new Kits. Slated for release on the Item Shop this weekend, they will not be freely accessible, but instead, will bear a price tag payable in the rendition of V-Bucks.
V-Bucks, the virtual currency within Fortnite, can be accumulated either through in-game purchases with real-world money, or by attaining level goals and mission objectives under the game’s Free Pass or Battle Pass. Needless to say, accord one’s tentative foothold within the game, the former route of procurement is significantly quicker. In an environment renowned for its inclusive player base, encompassing gamers of all ages, this brand-new content notwithstanding, its exclusionary monetization strategy has been met with a cold reception.
The progressive price scale for the kits unveiled spans from 1,900 up to a steep 2,500 V-Bucks. To break it down, a pack of 1,000 V-Bucks costs approximately USD 8.99. For the intrepid players who hope to acquire all three kits, this translates to a steep overall cost of about USD 44.00.
The kits, despite their expense, boast diverse and exciting features, with an emphasis on beachside residencies (7 builds, 44 items), a fast-food outlet (3 builds, 41 items), and a fortress fit for the Lion Knights (10 builds, 64 items). The despondence among players at not being able to access it is palpable.
The discontent has permeated among Fortnite’s online influencers as well, with numerous streamers hailing the decision as a setback and expressing their disapproval. They have voiced concerns over a possible ‘content drought’, and the issue of monetizing newer content.
