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Fortnite unvaults Scourge & Plague skins for first time since the COVID pandemic

The Scourge and Plague skins both have plague doctor motifs and were shelved by Epic Games for the last few years when COVID-19 was at its worst.

TJ Denzer

January 12, 2023 1:40 PM

Image via Epic Games

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Plague doctor equipment and outfits have been a popular aesthetic across culture for a very long time, even up to and including Fortnite. However, Epic Games had the good sense to read the room and take skins related to them out of the game when the COVID-19 pandemic hit its worst heights. Now, the Scourge and Plague skins have returned, marking their first time being available since around 2020.

The return of the Plague and Scourge skins was noted in a recent report by Eurogamer. The skins are premium, costing 1500 V-Bucks apiece, and are both based off of iconic doctor gear from when the bubonic plague was rampant. The skins were released in 2018 and have been in and out of the shop sporadically. However, in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, Epic Games removed the skins from the in-game store and restricted popular content creatures from featuring the skins in sponsored cosmetic bundles. January 2020 was the last time the skins were featured.

COVID-19 isn’t gone. On the flipside, as global authorities have loosened restrictions, there are still spikes of COVID cases which have cause shutdowns even in late 2022. Some will recall only a handful of months ago, Chinese workers at an iPhone-producing Foxconn factory and authorities clashed over intense COVID restrictions which were shutting down production at various factories. Tesla was also affected by COVID shutdowns in Shanghai.

Nonetheless, with vaccines in circulation and various efforts to reduce infection rates, restrictions around the world have been lightened and many businesses have pursued a return to regular activity. With that, it seems Epic Games feels okay with having the Scourge and Plague skins back in Fortnite. Stay tuned as we continue to follow for more Fortnite news and updates, such as the $10 million return of the Fortnite Championship Series.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.