There’s a new topic of discussion in the Fortnite community, and it’s the item shop’s theme over the weekend. Fortnite’s introduction of the OXR skins and their bundle brought a lot of intense reactions from the community.
The Fortnite community’s reaction to the release was mixed, and Fortnite’s well-known leaker HYPEX was the one to drop the news in the Fortnite style that everyone is now accustomed to. Not only did he tweet about it, but he also linked the shop page and, true to style, featured his creator code, all of which is standard practice for Epic’s leakers.
What’s ironic about this situation is that the community doesn’t feel engaged at all.
First off, what the heck does OXR even mean? The Fortnite community is almost at a standstill because of this. ‘xxiege’ noted, “Does anyone know what OXR stands for cause I still have no idea.” And honestly? Neither do I. While Epic has thrown around their fair share of random acronyms, OXR is definitely one of the most difficult ones to decipher. Maybe it’s a secret project or just a mysterious brand.
Then, there’s the… visual issues. From what I’ve seen, the controversy seems to be on the skins. If some players have their way, there seem to be some players who have have been waiting for these for a LONG time. ‘fnharmonystudio’ said they were “in the survey 9 months ago,” which in Fortnite terms is a long time. But with the wait, the end result is less than stellar, and not everyone likes it.
‘PinkGirlEnergy’ had no problem sharing their view. They posted a comparison picture with the phrase “fortnite fucked him up 💔🥀,” which included a crying emoji. I find that harsh. ‘MysticalMattttt’ tried to echo the same emotion by saying, “How did they mess up this badly I wanted him so bad too😭.” That’s a lot of salt, everyone.
While there’s a lot of distaste, it looks like some folks are okay with the new looks. In a more muted fashion, ‘Drip1of1’ remarked, “So clean !” which in Fortnite slang, means, “pretty good.” ‘deckardSw’ wasn’t quiet either and said, “Nice they’re looking good.” Now, while some in the community seem to like the skins, it’s clear the community is split.
Regarding the pricing of the bundle, it appears to be somewhat incorrect. ‘HunterRayder93’ explained in a response to another user, “2200 Vbucks bot skins are 800 each which is not bad.” Now, the other side comes from ‘coleisepic’, who sarcastically questioned, “Who’s buying these 😭,” which is representative of one side of the split.
In the meantime, some players are already speculating on what will come next. ‘besimfnbr1’ is out demanding, “we need dexter morgan,” which, I guess, would be pretty insane. Simultaneously, ‘L2Tapsi’ is begging HYPEX, “tell these to release polo,”. The demands are endless.
And in Fortnite’s tradition, there’s always someone from the pro scene who chimes in about the most random addition. ‘TiTanSwan27’ stepped in with “I’m surprised they didn’t add a musical instrument 😂” which, of all things, made the most sense.
It is interesting to think of how players comment on skins’ value for a longer time. Brig ‘nameless_majin’ reminded me of this when commenting on the skins, saying, “It’s there, but if you have better choices, you’re gonna go back to your better choices.” This is a mindset many have about cosmetics — they’re exciting for a little while, but players ultimately gravitate back to their mains.
This release is comical timing-wise because, as noted by ‘TheSoderAddict,’ it’s the same day as “Hatsune Miku in the shop,” which means players have some tough decisions this week regarding their V-Bucks.
Usually, for curated launches like this one, it’s the Fortnite store that tends to receive some controversy with the new cosmetics. The new set did that for the community — some loved it, while others could have cared less. What makes the community so iconic is how much they shift their stance on Fortnite cosmetics.
If you’re into the futuristic OXR set or waiting for the next big collaboration, one sure thing is— Epic Games will keep dropping new content, and the community will have something strong to say about every single drop.
