Do you need Xbox Live to play Fortnite (2022)

By Avhinandan Chakraborty
Modified Feb 21, 2022 22:07 GMT
Fortnite players once had to pay a premium on Xbox to play the game but that has now changed for the better (Image via Microsoft)
Fortnite players once had to pay a premium on Xbox to play the game but that has now changed for the better (Image via Microsoft)

Fortnite is a free-to-play title that players can simply download and start playing for free. The only reason players need to pay any amount of money in the game is to purchase skins from the Item Shop. However, that is a personal choice, and it does not hinder the gameplay at all. There are tons of players in the community who simply have not invested a single buck in Fortnite since Epic Games first launched the game in 2017.

The same cannot be said for Xbox players who wish to play the fan-favorite battle royale title. For the longest time, a subscription fee was required to play the game, even though it has always been a free-to-play title. However, do Xbox players need to pay a subscription fee in 2022 to play Fortnite? Read on to find out.

Want to know what items might feature in the shop tomorrow? Check out our predictions for tomorrow's Fortnite Item Shop

Microsoft lifts Xbox Live Gold fee on free-to-play titles, including Fortnite

Previously, Xbox players had to pay a $10 subscription fee to Xbox Live Gold to play any multiplayer game, even if they were exclusively free-to-play. For a yearly subscription, players were required to pay $60. This created a barrier among players across all other platforms and Xbox.

Finally, in May 2021, Microsoft realized its mistake and simply lifted the Xbox Live Gold subscription over free-to-play titles.

Microsoft provided an official statement on the issue where they added the names of the 50 free titles that Xbox players can play without paying a single dime on their console.

"Today, we are sharing more details on our plans to make online multiplayer in free-to-play games available on Xbox without an Xbox Live Gold membership. As part of listening to your feedback, this change will take place starting today, and all Xbox players will be able to access online multiplayer at no charge for a library of over 50 free-to-play games that support online multiplayer."

PlayStation and Nintendo are other consoles where loopers can play the battle royale title, and none of these consoles demand any subscription fee to play the battle royale title.

The Battle Bus is heading into Fortnite! Check out the final Fortnite item shop today!