Free Fortnite Cosmetics Are Coming To Get You To Buy More Games On Epic’s Store
Imagine this: you’re walking through your favorite department store, maybe picking up a new shirt or some gadget you’ve had your eye on. As you head to the checkout, the cashier smiles and says, “Because you’re buying this, here’s a free voucher for a coffee at the café next door – the one you usually just walk past.” That’s pretty much the playbook Epic Games is rolling out, but instead of coffee, it’s those flashy, coveted outfits for your Fortnite character, and instead of a café, it’s their own PC game storefront. Here’s what’s happening: Epic is planning to offer free Fortnite cosmetics when you buy certain games from the Epic Games Store, all with the big goal of getting you to spend more time and money on their platform.
The reality is, this isn’t just a random act of generosity; it’s a clever business move designed to leverage the immense popularity of Fortnite. We all know how much people love their Fortnite skins – those unique outfits, pickaxes, and gliders that let you stand out in the battle royale. Now, Epic wants to use that magnetic appeal to draw players into purchasing other games on their store. Think about it: if you’re already a huge Fortnite fan, getting an exclusive skin by pre-ordering a new game like Resident Evil Requiem from the Epic Games Store might just be the push you need to click that “buy” button on a game you might otherwise have bought elsewhere, or perhaps never even considered.
This new “official program” isn’t entirely new territory for Epic. They’ve dipped their toes in these waters before, remember when pre-ordering Alan Wake 2 years ago snagged you a cool Alan Wake skin in Fortnite? It was a glimpse into the potential of this strategy. Now, they’re making it a full-blown initiative, bringing on board big names like Capcom (hello, Resident Evil!), miHoYo (Genshin Impact fans, pay attention!), MintRocket (Dave the Diver), and Pearl Abyss (Crimson Desert). The idea is simple: if you love Fortnite, and these developers offer something special within Fortnite tied to their new game, more eyes – and wallets – will turn towards the Epic Games Store.
So, why is Epic doing this now, and why with such a big push? Well, the folks at Epic recently took a look back at 2025, and what they found was a bit of a mixed bag. While people actually spent *more* money on the Epic Games Store, they surprisingly *played less*. Sounds a bit like buying a fancy new gym membership but then rarely showing up, doesn’t it? Fortnite, however, remains the undisputed champion, the most-played game on their platform. This tells Epic loud and clear: Fortnite is their golden goose, the one thing that consistently keeps players engaged. The strategy, then, is to use Fortnite’s massive gravitational pull to lift up the entire ecosystem of their store.
But is this strategy a stroke of genius or a sign of something else? Mat Piscatella, a senior director at Circana and a sharp observer of the gaming market, expressed some doubts. He basically wondered if it’s “super healthy” when one of the main ways to get people to buy a *new* game on a platform is by offering them goodies for a *completely different game* – especially one that already dominates how players spend their time. It’s like a popular singer headlining a concert to sell tickets for a lesser-known opening act, but the real draw is still the headliner, and the opening act only benefits indirectly. This perspective raises a really interesting question about what truly motivates game purchases in today’s crowded market.
Let’s break this down further. For game developers, partnering with Epic on this program offers a potentially huge marketing boost. Imagine the millions of Fortnite players seeing their game’s character or item advertised within the battle royale, creating buzz and driving pre-orders. It’s like getting a free ad during the Super Bowl for their new movie, all thanks to a popular TV show. This could be especially beneficial for smaller or newer studios, giving them a spotlight they might not otherwise get. For players, it’s a chance to snag exclusive cosmetics without spending extra V-Bucks, simply by buying a game they might have wanted anyway. It’s a win-win on the surface, but the underlying mechanics are about shifting market share and player habits.
However, there’s a flip side to consider. If the main incentive to buy a new game becomes the Fortnite cosmetic, does it dilute the value of the game itself? Are players buying Resident Evil Requiem because they genuinely want to play it, or primarily for that Grace Ashcroft skin? This could lead to a situation where games are bought but not played, contributing to that “spent more but played less” trend Epic already noted. The challenge for Epic and its partners will be to ensure that the Fortnite incentive acts as a gateway to discovering genuinely great games, rather than just a fleeting transaction for a digital trinket.
Looking ahead, this move by Epic could spark a trend across the industry. Could we see other storefronts or publishers try similar cross-game promotions? Perhaps Steam might offer exclusive items for a popular multiplayer game when you buy certain titles, or Xbox Game Pass might bundle in unique avatars. The competition for player attention and spending is fierce, and leveraging a mega-hit like Fortnite is a powerful tactic. Ultimately, whether this program successfully transforms casual Fortnite players into loyal Epic Games Store customers, or simply leads to a temporary bump in sales for a few titles, remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: those free Fortnite cosmetics are coming, and they’re bringing a whole new strategy with them.