Epic announces big changes to Fortnite battle pass items

Battle pass skins are supposed to be cheap and exclusive, two things Fortnite is changing moving forward by allowing them in the item shop.

Besides its upbeat visuals and fast-paced gameplay, Fortnite is known for its collaboration with trending movies, pop-culture events, and artists. A good chunk of cosmetics from those collaborations are claimed through the in-game battle pass. Once acquired, they become rare and valuable due to their exclusivity.

Starting August 7, Epic Games is removing the compulsion of grinding through the battle pass to gain free skins and will allow players to simply purchase them from the item shop.

Can you buy Fortnite battle pass skins in the shop?

Fortnite developer Epic Games has announced that battle pass skins and rewards will now be available in the regular item shop. Now players can simply buy them from the in-game item shop almost two years after the pass expiration date.

However, Epic Games has warned that while all battle pass items are eligible to appear in the shop, there’s no guarantee that every single item will be purchasable. Players will be notified if an item in a future battle pass is never available in the shop.

While the battle pass is no longer exclusive, it’s still somewhat difficult to claim. To purchase individual items, players will have to spend an insane amount of vbucks to buy all of the items in the battle pass. A single outfit may cost just as much as the entire pass, which sells at 950 vbucks.

Time is another big factor here. Fans will have to wait 18 months to enjoy the same stuff other players earned by simply playing the game. In practicality, the Fortnite battle pass changes aren’t all too bad and strike the perfect balance between accessibility and exclusivity. While the items are available for all, players must pay a high price to claim them.

If anything, the new changes make battle pass all the more worthy while allowing everyone to enjoy all cosmetics in Fortnite if they can afford them. The update will likely go live right away, but players will only see the changes in effect 18 months after the current battle pass ends when the items will appear in the shop.