V-Bucks with 20% across all platforms, including the addition of a new “direct payment” option on mobile, calls Apple and Google’s “exorbitant” payment fees in the process. The ‘Fortnite Mega Drop’ is explained in more detail in this FAQ from Epic. On PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mac, and PC, V-Bucks and real money offers are automatically discounted by 20% – meaning that 1,000 V-Bucks now cost $ 7.99, down from $ 9.99.
Mobile is a bit different, where players can still buy with Apple or Google accounts for the higher price, but will now offer ‘Epic direct payment’ when buying V-Bucks on mobile devices to save the 20% .Epic explains that this allows the company to ‘pass on the savings to players’, and notes the ‘unreliable fee of 30%’ Apple and Google collect on each V-Buck payment as a reason for the alternative, discounting payment method on mobile. In the future, Epic is open to changing the deal “if Apple and Google reimburse their fees on payments.”
Epic also made it clear that this method of direct payment is just as secure as other alternatives. “By operating Fortnite on open platforms and serving the Epic Games Store, Epic has successfully processed more than $ 1.6 trillion direct payments, using trusted industry coding and security industries to protect customer transactions.”
In other Fortnite news, it looks like the game has initiated an event related to the Christopher Nolan movie Tenet. Last week, Fortnite received the update from Joy Ride that brought powered cars to the game.
Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
