Why the Fortnite Battle Pass was free in China but not globally

The question "Is Fortnite Battle Pass Free in China?" is one of the most asked within the community. Despite the servers being permanently shut down months ago, curious players still want an answer.

Well, the answer is yes. The Battle Pass in China was free for the duration of the game's life cycle. Unlike their global counterparts, Chinese players did not have to spend real money to obtain a Battle Pass. While this may seem unfair to many players, the reason is not what most think it to be.

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Fortnite China: The Battle Royale that was never meant to be

Several players are under the impression that the Battle Pass in Fortnite China was free due to promotional reasons. Sadly, that is far from being the case. Owing to the government's policies, monetization of the game was forbidden.

This meant that players could not spend real-life money to buy anything in-game. V-Bucks had to be earned through gameplay. Although Epic Games tried its best to find a workaround, the gridlock could not be broken.

After three years of investment, both financial and digital, the servers were disbanded and were taken offline. Although this did not affect Fortnite on a global scale, it was sad to bid farewell to an entire region of players. However, there is a bright side to this tragic tale.

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Epic Games might be taking notes from Fortnite China

Despite failing to establish the game in China, some good did come from this digital fiasco. A mechanic called Storm Health is potentially being reworked for the global version and will be called Tactical Overshield.

If it functions as speculated, this new mechanic will mitigate storm damage. Instead of players losing HP in the storm, the Tactical Overshield will absorb the damage. But it gets even better.

Aside from mitigating storm damage, it may even block incoming fire. This will prevent the player from receiving Shield or Health damage. If it works like the overhead shield mechanic from Halo, it will even regenerate over time.

According to prominent leaker HYPEX, this new mechanic will be implemented in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2. With the war between the Imagined Order and The Seven beginning to escalate, it will make a perfect addition to the game.

Having roughly just over two weeks left in the current season, players won't have to wait long to try out this feature in-game. Hopefully, it lives up to the hype and doesn't disappoint the community.