Epic Games has re-introduced the Operation Brite Starter Pack in Fortnite, but the price has been raised during this re-issue; henceforward, it will be sold for $4.99 instead of the former $3.75. The new starter pack will be available until December 2, 2026, and from the very beginning it has begun to provoke a flood of reactions from the gaming community, a great number of whom are expressing their frustration about both the price increase and lack of new content.
What can you find in the pack? A Lego Fortnite-themed starter pack containing the Operation Brite skin is one of the pack’s valuables. Often, these packs are an affordable means for players to acquire a skin along with some V-Bucks, but this comeback has been… controversial, to say the least. The announcement made by the Fortnite Status account was very clear and direct, but the replies? They narrate the entire story.
The first reaction was a mix of confusion and annoyance. One user, gloomride, pointed out the oddity of the price right away: ‘Why is it not $4.49 like normal starter packs 😬’. It is a legitimate question! Most starter packs are priced at $4.49, so the jump to $4.99 feels a bit excessive. Another user, PikminGuts92, brilliantly portrayed the absurdity: ‘How tf is there inflation on digital lego bricks’. This claim was widely supported. KryptonsFN simply referred to it as ‘Fortflation at it again,’ which is not only very amusing but also rather accurate.
In spite of this, the price is not the only issue that is bothering people. A strong demand actually exists for new materials. User Awesomee_Meh articulated it bluntly: ‘Atleast make a new one 🥵 . I’d rather give Shaka surfin free to my actives than that pack 😅’. Ouch. That is a really difficult one. Others were mourning for the packs that were no longer available, like frowzyn1 who sobbed, ‘Man, I just want breakpoint to come back 💔’. And Julio270410 had a specific demand: ‘No ninjago starter pack😔’. The need for variety is quite evident, and the gamers have become really fed up with the same stuff being brought back time and again.
Then again, there is the expiration date of the pack. It has indicated December 2, 2026, as the last day on which the pack will be available. That is more than two years away from now! RicardoSan97’s response was one pure of disbelief: ‘2026 December?? A whole year, wtf!!!!’. To be honest, it is more than a year, it is like two and a half, but still—it is a long wait. Fanelsis joked about it, saying, ‘Darn we got to wait a whole year for the pack to be available. 🥸’, mocking the odd distant date that was set in the announcement.
Some queries turned out to be quite technical, discussing ways to buy these items. User steampunksappho reminded everybody that ‘You can get this for free with a Lego set still lol’. That is indeed correct! The respective codes are usually part of the physical Lego purchases. However, gloomride replied with a counter: ‘U just have to buy a lego set tho’, emphasizing that ‘free’ still involves buying something else. On the other hand, there were players like wanna_outside who were offering codes: ‘Anyone want it? I have a code’, thereby showing that the secondary market for these items is really active.
Frustration erupted into some very colorful comments. LadyGagaFan04 vented her feelings: ‘Seriously nothing new Epic stop being fucking lazy & Greedy 🤬🤬🤬’. MintyEvergreeen was very clear and brutal: ‘This shit stinks’. And Clippit317 took a jab at the skin: ‘lame, nerdy girl was better,’ probably comparing it with another starter pack outfit.
With all the negativity surrounding the situation, there were a few practical considerations made. User vxperisgay inquired, ‘are they FINALLY going to give her pickaxe and wrap now,’ highlighting the fact that some packs lack accessories. And realNumberSets was worried about the future, asking, ‘is that going to be the only lego starter pack for a year?’. With the expiration date set in 2026, this is indeed a valid concern for Lego Fortnite fans.
So, what is the final verdict? Epic’s choice to re-release the Operation Brite pack with a price rise has been met with displeasure. In an atmosphere where players are already very critical about monetization, a minor increase on a digital starter pack—especially when it can still be acquired through other methods—seems to be a move that has frustrated fans on platforms like PlayStation and Xbox.
