Epic Games is raising the price of Fortnite's V-Bucks currency, with new rates taking effect on March 19. The change means players will get fewer V-Bucks for the same dollar amounts - for example, $8.99 will now buy 800 V-Bucks instead of 1,000. The $89.99 bundle drops from 13,500 to 12,500 V-Bucks. Epic attributes the increase to rising operational costs.

These changes affect all V-Bucks purchases, including the Exact Amount Pack which doubles in price from $0.50 to $0.99 for 50 V-Bucks. The adjustment also impacts Fortnite's various passes - the standard Battle Pass now costs 800 V-Bucks instead of 1,000, while the OG, Music, and Lego Passes decrease from 1,400 to 1,200 V-Bucks. Fortnite Crew subscribers will see their monthly V-Bucks stipend shrink from 1,000 to 800.

While Epic frames this as necessary for covering increased costs, the timing is notable given the company's recent legal victories against Apple and Google. These wins allow Epic to direct users to its own payment system, avoiding app store fees. The company's Epic Rewards program offers 20 percent back on purchases, partially offsetting the price increase for those using Epic's payment system.