Fortnite's new cosmetic product that has been leaked needs to go all out

Fortnite is in the midst of the annual Halloween celebration. The Fortnitemares event will wrap up Chapter 5, Season 4, and with Chapter 6 on the horizon, many new features are rumored to be coming soon. These include possible game modes, mobility mechanics, and a new way for players to customize their avatars.

Fortnite has set the industry standard when it comes to monetization. Although the base game is free, Fortnite has consistently offered a variety of cosmetic items to purchase for players who want to stand out. These include skins, harvesters, weapon wraps, gliders, and more. According to a potential leak, Epic may soon expand to introduce another category of cosmetics Fortnite: shoes.

The effect of bringing shoes to the Fortnite Item Shop

This news comes from popular Fortnite leaked by HypeX in a post on X. The post says that Epic is currently working on shoe cosmetics that will be available for purchase in the store individually or in bundles. One important note: only certain skins will be compatible with these shoes when they are released.

HypeX has proven to be a reliable leaker in the past, which adds credibility to this leak. However, the leak remains incredibly light on details. It is not yet known how much the shoes will cost and when they will go on sale. This leaves a lot of room for speculation as to what boots might be available in the game and how they might be implemented.

Probable collaboration for shoe cosmetics

Fortnite has already collaborated with several shoe brands in recent history. Over the past year, Nike and Adidas have brought skins, emotes, and other cosmetics to the Fortnite item shop. Fortnite is also partnering with Crocs this year to create a line of real-life shoes inspired by Peely and the Battle Bus. With these partnerships already in place, the likelihood of shoes from these brands and subsidiaries like Converse appearing as in-game cosmetics appears high.

Fortnite battle with new cosmetics

When it comes to adding new cosmetic categories to the in-game store, this year hasn't been the best for Fortnite. Chapter 5 launched last December and brought with it three additional game modes: Fortnite Festival, Rocket Racing and LEGO Fortnite. Along with these modes, cosmetics such as tools, model cars, and virtual LEGO sets were introduced.

It's clear that Epic put effort into developing these items, but players were far less motivated to buy them than other items like skins and gliders. LEGO Fortnite still has some success, but none of the three modes added in Chapter 5 have been as successful as Fortnite's Battle Royale continues to be. In fact, Epic recently confirmed that they will no longer release themed updates for Rocket Racing.

Since these modes lack the appeal of Battle Royale and are no longer guaranteed constant support, players need universal cosmetics. LEGO builds from the Item Shop are limited to LEGO Fortnite. Cosmetics from Fortnite Festival and Rocket Racing really carry over to Battle Royale. However, items purchased for the festival can only be seen in Battle Royale while playing a jam track or certain emotes. Vehicle skins are applied to some vehicles in Battle Royale, but after completing Wrecked's vehicle-centric season, most players will prefer to use mobility items such as Iron Man's flight kit or chainsaw to move around the map.

Aside from the limited use of these items outside of their unpopular modes, FortniteThe latest beauty products are criticized for their price tags. Some tools, car customization options, and LEGO sets have been provided as free rewards for completing quests, but the vast majority are locked behind a paywall. A jam track is often more expensive to buy than the actual song on a platform like the iTunes Store, and many Rocket Racing car bodies cost more than $20.

How Fortnite can implement shoes better

Given the complicated relationship between players and the item shop last year, Fortnite care should be taken when using this rumored upcoming cosmetic. If Epic is going to sell shoes in the game, then players need to feel like the shoes are worth buying. Fortnite has the resources for the desired shoe collaboration, but the developers will need to put a lot of time and care into making sure these cosmetics don't look unintentionally dumb.

As previously stated, the shoes will only be available for certain skins at first, which should prevent technical issues and visual cuts. However, players may not buy shoes unless they are used on their favorite skins. FortniteShoes should have a wider range of uses than cosmetics such as LEGO sets and tools. Epic should also consider offering a wider price range with more affordable options included if it wants the shoe to be on the same level of desirability as the shoe itself.