Fortnite's asking players if they'd pay a monthly subscription

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Epic has been surveying Fortnite players in some detail about a subscription model that looks more-or-less ready to roll. The below image first appeared on reddit and details the offer to players.

Fortnite subscription survey. — (Image credit: Epic Games)

Subsequent to which, several players shared similar images, with the major point of variation being the projected cost. Some ask players if they would pay $14/month (as above), while others asked about $16/month or $19/month. For the cost players gain access to battle passes (which currently set you back just under $10 every three months), a monthly outfit with an alternate style, 'back bling', a pickaxe, and 1000 V-bucks a month.

It's worth emphasising that the reason companies do surveys is to decide whether something's a good idea or not: this may well never happen. But online reaction so far, from the kind of people who post on Fortnite forums and Twitter anyway, is surprisingly positive, with only a few grumblers pointing out that this could potentially cost upwards of $200 a year.

I dip in and out of Fortnite: I've bought a few battle passes, and always thought they were decent value when I could put the time in. A subscription for a battle royale seems a much bigger ask, especially in an era where everyone already has a dozen entertainment subscriptions of various kinds. But maybe if your only game is Fortnite, a recurring charge for unseen cosmetics and currency makes sense.

Rich is a games journalist with 15 years' experience, beginning his career on Edge magazine before working for a wide range of outlets, including Ars Technica, Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, Gamespot, the Guardian, IGN, the New Statesman, Polygon, and Vice. He was the editor of Kotaku UK, the UK arm of Kotaku, for three years before joining PC Gamer. He is the author of a Brief History of Video Games, a full history of the medium, which the Midwest Book Review described as "[a] must-read for serious minded game historians and curious video game connoisseurs alike."