Item Gifting in Fortnite: Battle Royale Could Soon Become a Reality
Fortnite: Battle Royale players have been eagerly awaiting the ability to send items to each other, and it appears that this feature may be coming soon. Recent datamines have uncovered evidence that Fortnite is preparing to introduce item gifting, which would allow players to share cosmetics they have purchased from the Item Shop.
Having item gifting in Fortnite would be a game-changer. Currently, players can only obtain skins through the Free Pass or Battle Pass progression, buying items from the Item Shop, or acquiring cosmetic packs from bundles like Twitch Prime Packs, Wingman Starter Pack, or PlayStation Plus Packs. In most cases, this means spending real money in the game.
However, with item gifting, players would have the ability to trade cosmetics with each other or even receive free presents. Imagine being able to send outfit skins to your friends like a game of Secret Santa, or buying that coveted Emote and gifting it to your best friend for their birthday. The potential uses for item gifting are endless.
Is Item Gifting Coming?
Although item gifting is not yet an official feature in Fortnite: Battle Royale, several clues point to its imminent arrival. In March 2018, Reddit user maxt123456 discovered Fortnite assets with names like “T_StoreGift” and “M_StoreGift” in a directory labeled “Gifting.” These assets included a 3D model of a present with a bow, suggesting the introduction of gifts in the game.
In June, the Fortnite: Battle Royale Leaks Twitter account revealed that Epic Games added information about gifting options to a file called “GiftingOptions.uexp.” This file included strings for in-game UI messages related to gifting, such as “Insufficient Funds” and the ability to leave an optional 100-character message when sending a gift.
Further datamined information in July suggested that item gifting would be limited to certain accounts, some items could not be gifted, and that daily gifts would be available. The datamined assets also indicated the use of V-Bucks for gifting, although the exact mechanics are unclear.
Epic Games themselves have hinted at item gifting in a State of Development update, where they mentioned a feature specifically for generous players. It seems inevitable that item gifting will be introduced to Fortnite.
How Does Item Gifting Work?
The exact workings of Fortnite’s item gifting system have not been officially revealed. However, based on datamined content and discussions on Reddit, there are some indications of how it may function.
Players will likely be able to purchase cosmetic items from the Item Shop and then send those purchases to other players. Sending gifts will require players to have in-game currency, possibly with a fee in V-Bucks for gifting. Not all cosmetics may be eligible for gifting, and players sending gifts can include a custom message of up to 100 characters. There will likely also be a reporting feature to address any abuse or misuse of the gifting system.
Aside from these details, there is no information about additional trading or gifting features in Fortnite: Battle Royale. However, it is clear that players will soon have the ability to send items to their friends after purchasing them from the Item Shop.