Does Fortnite Need a Cosmetic Trading System?
A few days ago, I saw a post on Twitter sharing an alleged “rumor” about cosmetic trading in Fortnite. The rumor claimed that skins, pickaxes, kicks, and sidekicks would all be tradable between players. The only catch was that all trades would have to remain within a similar V-Bucks price range. This idea sounded intriguing, so I decided to research the rumor to confirm its validity.
However, it quickly became apparent that the concept was entirely untrue, with no sources to back it up. This was disappointing, considering the potential this feature could have with Battle Royale cosmetics. So, I began to consider the hypothetical effects (both good and bad) that cosmetic trading could have if it ever were implemented into the game. While there is no evidence that Epic is developing a system like this, the idea alone raises some interesting questions.
THE POSITIVES
Clearly, trading would allow for increased player freedom. Players could freely receive cosmetics they want or deliver unwanted cosmetics to others. This would be especially helpful in the case of skins from older Battle Passes (assuming this kind of trade wouldn’t be disabled).
Fortnite is now a nearly 10-year-old game, with some of the BR’s most sought-after skins releasing during the first few years of the game’s lifespan. Since Epic Games has decided to keep Battle Pass cosmetics from Chapters 1-5 (bar Season 4) locked to their respective passes, trading could potentially provide another avenue for newer players.
Speaking of newer players, trading provides other benefits for the more casual player base. Every update day, Fortnite treats fans with a slew of new weapons, gameplay features, and, most importantly, cosmetics. For some (especially those who don’t regularly play), it might feel overwhelming and difficult to collect certain items. This is especially a factor for some due to the constantly revolving Item Shop. With trading, fans can get the cosmetics they want even if they miss an update or event.
Other skins, such as elusive Collaboration skins, could also become popular to trade. As a massive God of War fan myself, I always regret not purchasing the Kratos skin when it released in the Item Shop. Unfortunately, because of Sony’s stringent policies regarding collabs with third-party games, it seems unlikely that the skin will return to the Shop anytime soon. If a system like trading were to be introduced, I could finally get my hands on a skin not sold in over 1,900 days.
There is actually another interesting way to view this hypothetical trading system, as it provides cosmetics with a new kind of value. Besides the monetary value Epic applies to each cosmetic, there is also the personal value players put on their favorite cosmetics. As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
For instance, a “common” 800 VBuck skin is priced “cheaper” than higher-rarity cosmetics. Still, there may be some who, due to their enjoyment of that particular skin, would be willing to trade with cosmetics worth more than 800 VBucks. This could create an unofficial economy where a cosmetic’s perceived value is based less on its Item Shop price and more on how badly another player wants it. Obviously, this “economy” comes with its own set of issues.
Regardless, cosmetic trading in Fortnite could be an excellent way to fairly redistribute cosmetics from player-to-player in a game with over nine years of content. Unfortunately, as previously alluded, there are still methods that (if unpatched by Epic) could be used to take advantage of and manipulate the system.
THE NEGATIVES
Most obviously, a trading system could lead to scams, especially within the impressionable younger audience. Considering the methods players have created to scam others in Fortnite Save The World, I can already imagine how scammers could abuse the system.
For instance, some could decide to monetize trades. It would be disappointing (but not surprising) if some players began to list offers to trade for specific cosmetics on platforms like eBay. Even worse, influencers on social media could host fake livestreams for the “chance” to trade one person a rare skin in exchange for money.
This is already a common issue in the Roblox community due to the influx of fake “Robux for donation” streams that plague YouTube. Because of the potential for scams and player disputes to run rampant, this idea alone might make Epic apprehensive about spending development time on a feature like this.
Some players could also abuse the mechanic to trade skins to alt accounts. By doing this, the accounts can be sold at a later date when certain cosmetics become valuable. In their defense, Epic specifically prohibits the activity of selling Fortnite accounts. However, although this issue is mainly under control now, it would likely become increasingly popular once trading was implemented.
Account security could also be at risk due to trading. Those who are technologically savvy could hack into accounts with an abundance of cosmetics in order to trade them with their actual account. Like cosmetic gifting, this risk could be reduced with a “3-day wait period” after adding a friend before trades can be requested.
In other cases, players could genuinely partake in a trade, only to end up regretting their decision. This could lead to a slew of false claims of account fraud by players, which Epic would have to spend time carefully investigating. Considering how busy of a company Epic already is, this type of menial task is one they would likely try to avoid.
CONCLUSION
There are many factors to consider with a trading system in Fortnite, especially as a game so popular amongst a younger audience. If Epic were to ever implement a feature like this in Battle Royale, it would likely have to be strictly regulated.
Looking back, the “rumor” that started the creation of this article actually had some good ideas (even if it was entirely untrue). While cosmetic trading isn’t a feature Fortnite necessarily needs, it is one that could drastically impact how players interact with the game’s expansive cosmetic library. Whether that change would benefit Fortnite or create more problems than it solves would be entirely dependent on how Epic implements the feature.
Would you like to see a cosmetic trading system in Fortnite? What cosmetics would you want to trade for the most? Let me know in the comments!
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