Fortnite players are losing interest in soccer skins, but why?

Soccer skins have been a part of Fortnite since the early days of the game. Given how popular the sport is, fans were excited to have outfits that could represent their favorite teams. Furthermore, it feels good to don a jersey-based skin and play matches. Eventually, these skins became known as sweaty outfits.

However, that didn't stop Epic Games from creating more of them. In fact, in early 2021, the largest sporting partnership with 23 global soccer clubs was initiated. The collaboration was so massive that even Neymar Jr. was also added to the Battle Pass the following season. However, this was not enough.

In Chapter 2 Season 7, Epic Games decided to release two more soccer-themed skins. But unlike the others, these would be part of the Icon Series. On June 12, the two skins, Harry Kane and Marco Reus, were added to the Item Shop. Fans were ecstatic, and the collaboration was well received by the community.

However, when they were added back to the Item Shop on July 2, 2022, the reception was less than welcoming. Fans called the collaboration boring and had little or no interest in buying the skins. So what went wrong? Why are Fortnite players losing interest in soccer skins?

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Possible reasons why soccer skins are becoming less desirable in Fortnite

Before reading the pointers, it should be kept in mind that these are just speculations as to why soccer skins are no longer popular in the game. Since choices vary from player to player, this may not be the case for everyone. With that being said, here are the possible reasons for the decline in the desirability of Fortnite skins:

1) Wrong timing

On July 1, 2022, Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2 aired on Netflix. Due to the show's long-standing reputation and popularity, many flocked to Netflix to watch it, to the point where the streaming platform crashed. This is a testament to just how many people watch the show.

Out of all the skins that could have been added to the Item Shop on that day, Epic Games chose to re-release the Harry Kane and Marco Reus outfits. The community at large was not impressed. Even though it may not have been possible to add skins from Stranger Things to the Item Shop, these two were terrible choices.

In fact, even adding some monster-themed skins or creatures would have made more sense. It's truly perplexing as to why the developers chose this date to re-release these skins.

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2) Better options

Soccer skins have been a trend in Fortnite for years, and in the early days of the game, they were immensely popular. In fact, during every major sporting event, players brush the dust off of their favorite soccer skins and wear them in matches. However, nothing is permanent in the world of fashion.

With Epic Games expanding its collaborations year after year, more skins are being added to the game, and players tend to buy newer skins and use them for extended periods. By the time they get bored of the skin, there is already another one waiting for them in the Item Shop.

This cycle holds true not only for casual players but also for sweats as well. While soccer skins are considered sweaty, they are not the only ones in-game. With so many to choose from, block-colored jerseys with insignias on them are going out of fashion.

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3) Fading trends

With the Item Shop rotating daily and bringing in new cosmetics every 24 hours in the game, the trends tend to shift rapidly. Players who have V-Bucks to spend in Fortnite do not prefer sticking to one skin for an extended period of time.

In fact, ever since Fortnite Chapter 3 began, the game shifted to Unreal Engine 5 and players have been using the skins that have been released recently. Since older skins tend to lack a lot of detail or cannot utilize the latest Engine's rendering capabilities, most avoid using them as they look shabby.

This then ties into trends and dictates what skins should be used for the current season. While these do rapidly change direction, they are unlikely to revert to hyping up soccer skins anytime soon.