Halo icon Master Chief returned to the Fortnite item shop last night after a long absence, but his return was marred by an unannounced change to the character's Xbox-exclusive design.
Previously, playing Fortnite on an Xbox console (or through Xbox Cloud Gaming) unlocked an additional console-exclusive Matte Black version of the Master Chief skin. But when the Spartan returned to the Fortnite store last night, new buyers discovered that it was no longer available.
Several hours later, Fortnite maker Epic Games announced via the game's support account on X that “the Matte Black style for The Master Chief is no longer unlockable” and that the bonus was limited to players who They had purchased the outfit before this month.
Fortnite fans were quick to recall a post from Epic Games in 2020 announcing the skin, which said players would unlock the Xbox exclusive version “at ANY point in the future” and that there was “no time limit to unlock this style.” . .
A community note has been attached to today's Epic Games announcement, pointing out the contradiction, while fans have said that Epic Games has bungled the announcement by announcing the change only after the skin was back on sale. .
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Epic Games has not said why the Xbox exclusive has ended, or if similar PlayStation skins with console-exclusive variants (like Horizon's Aloy) are also affected. We have contacted the company for more information.
In happier news, Fortnite launched its Cyberpunk 2077 crossover, which includes skins for Johnny Silverhand and V.