Fortnite goes galactic with space-themed skin to launch new subscription service
You can take over the galaxy for just $11.99 a month
The popular battle royale game Fortnite picked a space theme to launch its new subscription service.
The service, called Fortnite Crew, blasts off Wednesday (Dec. 2) and includes the Galaxia skin, who is a masked, starry crusader ready to do battle with a Cosmic Llamacorn Pickaxe and Fractured World Back Bling.
The subscription costs $11.99 a month and brings members a monthly "crew pack", including an exclusive outfit, 1,000 V-Bucks (or roughly $7.99) to buy other items, and access to the current season of content, Fortnite creator Epic Games said in a statement.
The Galaxia skin follows on from a slew of new space-related content that Fortnite gave players in the past few seasons. (Long-time players should note: this is a distinct skin from the Galaxy and Galaxy Scout outfits previously launched.)
Related: Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3 is packed with astronauts and we're thrilled
Fortnite's current season — Chapter 2, Season 4 — is Marvel-themed, but there are space elements to it. Rifts in space-time have been popping up around the map, and the occasional space skin (including a new "Star Wars" ship) appeared in the Fortnite shop from time to time. The season will end with the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus, arriving in the Nexus War finale event on Tuesday (Dec. 1) at 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT), so more cosmic things may come soon. (Galactus has been hurtling through space toward the Fortnite island the entire season.)
The previous Chapter 2, Season 3 this past summer was also packed with space content. Players found themselves chasing the story (and spaceship) of a mysterious ancient astronaut, Deo, who came up for sale in the Fortnite shop. The season Battle Pass included Siona, the female astronaut counterpart to Deo, along with numerous other bits of space-themed content. The shop was also active with different spacey deals, and all active players that season received the Shooting Starstaff Pickaxe for free.
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Fortnite also hit the news this year concerning ongoing Apple and Google disputes over direct payments for mobile apps. Earlier this month, as Apple faced a new Fortnite lawsuit, the tech giant announced smaller developers will only pay 15% commission rather than the current 30%, starting on Jan. 1, 2021.
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Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 specializing in Canadian space news. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams.