Fortnite players slam ‘Steal the Brainrot’ microtransactions as gambling

Within 24 hours of Epic Games enabling in-island microtransactions for user-made Fortnite maps on January 9, Steal the Brainrot – a top Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) tycoon-style island – added high-priced, chance-based purchases. Players can now buy “Present Rot” bundles that contain randomised rewards for up to 4,900 V-Bucks, roughly US$35–40 depending on how you buy the currency, as well as spin a roulette-style wheel that costs 100 V-Bucks per spin for a chance at rare variants and in-map cash within Steal the Brainrot.

According to Epic’s Island Creator Rules, these variants are classified as "Randomized In-Island Items," which are strictly digital modifications—such as character auras or gameplay multipliers—that exist only within that specific experience and do not grant permanent items to a player's global Fortnite Locker.

The new system has triggered a backlash across Reddit, X, and YouTube, with fans arguing that the map is effectively running a loot-box casino inside Fortnite's Creative mode. Critics point to single-digit drop rates for “Secret Lucky Rot” and “Secret Grande Rot” rewards on the wheel, the use of limited-time “discount” tags on high-end bundles, and the fact that the island is heavily marketed toward children. Some commentators note that Epic previously moved away from paid random loot llamas in Fortnite’s Save the World mode and that loot boxes are outright banned in countries such as Belgium.

Epic’s new UEFN monetisation rules allow creators to sell consumables, gameplay boosts, and randomised items directly inside their islands, with prices capped between 50 and 5,000 V-Bucks and mandatory odds disclosure for chance-based purchases. For now, the Steal the Brainrot offers appear to comply with those rules, and Epic says UEFN creators will receive 100% of V-Bucks revenue from in-island purchases (minus platform fees) until early 2027. The company has not announced any enforcement action against the map, though it has said it may adjust its policies if needed.

The island briefly disappeared from Fortnite's Discover tab amid the controversy, sparking panic among players who had just spent V-Bucks, but it was later restored after the creator blamed the outage on a technical issue following a game update. The gambling-style mechanics remained in place when the map returned, and guides have already appeared explaining how to seek V-Bucks refunds if players feel misled.