Fortnite: Save The World Is Finally Free-To-Play, Offers A Free Skin For Good Measure
Epic Games has announced that Fortnite’s Save the World mode is becoming free-to-play on April 16, 2026. The original co-op survival game that launched Fortnite nearly a decade ago will now be accessible to all players as a main mode in the game’s Discovery lobby. In Save the World, players cooperatively complete objectives across open-world maps while using builds and traps to defend against monsters.
The transition to free-to-play includes platform expansion, with Save the World becoming available on Switch 2 for the first time. However, the mode remains unavailable on the original Switch and mobile devices. Epic is removing two other modes—Ballistic and Festival Battle Stage—as part of this update.
To celebrate the launch, Epic is offering limited-time rewards to incentivize players to try Save the World. These include crossover quests with Battle Royale that provide XP and cosmetics, plus a free skin usable across all Fortnite modes. Players can also earn a free Jess-themed skin by accumulating 350,000 XP specifically in Save the World. Additionally, Twitch Drops are available for a limited window, allowing viewers to claim exclusive rewards by watching Fortnite streamers during designated periods.