Inflation comes to Fortnite: V-Bucks prices increase

Not even the in-game currencies for your favorite battle royale shooter games are immune from the current global economic conditions.

Fortnite, the massively popular online free-to-play game, announced on Tuesday that it was increasing the prices for its in-game currency V-Bucks.

"The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot and we’re raising prices to help pay the bills," developer Epic Games shared in a statement posted on Fortnite's website.

Currently, $8.99 buys gamers 1,000 V-Bucks. Starting on March 19, $8.99 will only buy gamers 800 V-Bucks. 

Those price changes will also go into effect across the board on that date. Here's how prices will change:

• The $22.99 V-Bucks pack will come with 2,400 V-Bucks instead of the current amount of 2,800

• The $36.99 pack will come with 4,500 V-Bucks instead of 5,000

• The $89.99 pack will come with 12,500 V-Bucks instead of 13,500

While technically, the V-Bucks packs are staying at the usual price, the packs will come with fewer V-Bucks. If Fortnite fans are looking to buy exact amount packs, then they will see a more accurate depiction of the price increases, as the $0.50 for 50 V-bucks is going up to $0.99 per 50 V-bucks. Players will end up spending more.

However, that's not the only price change coming to Fortnite.

Fortnite Crew, the game's monthly subscription membership, will remain priced at $11.99 per month. However, instead of receiving 1,000 V-Bucks per month with the reward, members will only receive 800 V-Bucks per month going forward.

There's also some price drops coming to all four of Fortnite's season passes. 

Fortnite's OG Pass will drop in price from 1,000 V-Bucks to 800 V-Bucks. The game's Music Pass and LEGO Pass will also be reduced from 1,400 V-Bucks to 1,200 V-Bucks.

As for the most popular season pass, Fortnite's Battle Pass, it too will drop in price from 1,000 V-Bucks per season to 800 V-Bucks. 

However, there is a negative change here as well. Epic is also altering the amount of V-Bucks you can earn with the Battle Pass. By playing the game, completing quests, gaining XP, and leveling up, gamers could've earned 1,000 V-Bucks plus 500 more V-Bucks with Bonus Rewards. Going forward, only 800 V-Bucks could be earned by completing the Battle Pass. That's in total. Fortnite is also doing away with the Bonus Rewards V-Bucks.

So, while Fortnite gamers could still purchase a single Battle Pass and use their V-Bucks earnings to redeem the next season's Battle Pass in perpetuity, there won't be any leftover V-Bucks to use on skins or other items in the Fortnite shop under these changes.

The game's Battle Bundle, which includes the Battle Pass and a 25-level upgrade, will be changing in price too, going from 2,800 V-Bucks to 2,600 V-Bucks.

It's important to note that in-game items in the Fortnite shop do not change gameplay whatsoever. Skins, emotes, back bling, wraps, and other items are all solely cosmetic in nature and do not play a factor in the actual gameplay.

What happens if you have a Fortnite gift card? Epic Games says that users with existing gift cards can continue to redeem them at the rate printed on the card.