Fortnite Players Reportedly Spend Real Money on Rare In-Game Sprites
Fortnite fans are reportedly purchasing rare in-game creatures known as Sprites on eBay, with some transactions reaching up to $100. These Pokémon-like collectibles were introduced in the game's latest season, featuring extraction mechanics and a collection system. The rarity of certain Sprite variants has led to an active player-driven market both within trading groups and on online marketplaces.
Fortnite players are reportedly spending real money on eBay for rare species of Sprites, the game's recently introduced Pokémon-like collectible creatures. Completed eBay listings indicate that individuals have paid up to $100 for rare Sprites to be shared with them in-game.
Hundreds of listings highlight players' willingness to spend on uncommon varieties, including the highly sought-after Zero Point Sprite and its various rare special-colored variants.
Sprite collecting was integrated into Fortnite last weekend as a key feature of the battle royale game's most recent season. This update introduced extraction mechanics for the first time, altering core gameplay.
The gameplay loop involves players discovering creatures, leveling them up, and then securing them at competitive extraction points for use in future games. Players also have the ability to steal Sprites from others. While each Sprite provides relatively minor gameplay effects, such as healing buffs or brief invisibility, the act of collecting them is described as compulsive, facilitated by a dedicated collection screen.
The tension of finding and extracting a rare variant is a significant aspect of the experience. Once a Sprite is extracted, infinite copies can be spawned using an in-game grind currency called Sprite Dust and then shared with other players. This sharing mechanism has fostered the creation of Sprite trading groups on platforms like Reddit and Discord, and has contributed to the listings observed on eBay.
The rarity of some species is notable; for instance, Epic Games developer TofuChris revealed that Fortnite's extensive community has only managed to extract one Gummy-colored variant of the rarest Zero Point Sprite since its introduction last Thursday.
Future in-game items and events are expected to make rare species more accessible over the course of the season, and players are reportedly enjoying the hunt. Fortnite's overall player count surpassed 2.5 million on both Saturday and Sunday of the past weekend, slightly exceeding the numbers from the new season's launch, coinciding with Sprite collecting events. More events and new species are anticipated in the coming weeks.
According to IGN, these new creatures are also expected to appear on eBay shortly after their introduction.
