Epic Games says owners can refund skin.
Image credit: Epic Games
Halo icon Master Chief returned to the Fortnite item shop last night after a lengthy absence, but his return has been marred by an unannounced change to the character’s Xbox-exclusive design.
Previously, playing Fortnite on an Xbox console (or via Xbox Cloud Gaming) unlocked an additional, console-exclusive Matte Black version of the Master Chief skin. But when the Spartan returned to the Fortnite shop last night, new purchasers found this 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 had bought the outfit before this month.
Fortnite fans quickly pointed back to a post from Epic Games back in 2020 announcing the skin, which stated that players would unlock the Xbox-exclusive version “at ANY point in the future” and that there was “no time limit for unlocking this style”.
A community note has now been attached to Epic Games’ announcement today, pointing out the contradiction, while fans have said Epic Games has fumbled the announcement by only announcing the change after the skin returned on sale.
The Matte Black style for The Master Chief is no longer unlockable. This style is limited to players who purchased the outfit and played on an Xbox Series X|S prior to December 2024.
Any purchases of the Master Chief made today can be returned without spending a Return Ticket… https://t.co/dAdcPLLRFQ pic.twitter.com/Dxd4SMQTox
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) December 24, 2024
Epic Games has not said why the Xbox exclusive has now ended, or whether similar PlayStation skins with console-exclusive variants (such as Horizon’s Aloy) are also affected. We’ve contacted the company for more.
In happier news, Fortnite has launched its Cyberpunk 2077 crossover, which includes skins for Johnny Silverhand and V.
