Fortnite started its Winterfest season for 2025, although not many players are satisfied with the changes they made this year.
During Winterfest, players would/could usually log on and receive gifts from the game, completely free of charge. This year, however, Epic Games took a different approach to how players could receive the gifts.
In past years, Fortnite would allow players to log in whenever they wanted after Winterfest started and collect gifts from previous days of the event. For example, if you forgot to log into Fortnite for a day or two, you could always go back and collect the gifts that you missed, a perk called stacking gifts. This allowed for a stress-free experience during the season of gift-giving.
However, many players have begun to notice that if they try to collect a gift from past days, it will not allow them to; the gift is neither awarded or even merely revealed. This ‘use it or lose it’ method has sparked a wave of backlash across social media, specifically Twitch, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.
Even streamers are talking about this, such as HappyHappyGal. She expressed her opinion that some Fortnite players are ungrateful and spoiled, as they should be grateful that they’re receiving gifts in the first place.
However, many players argue with her statement, saying it’s the holiday season and breaking the tradition this way can be harmful for the game’s engagement. Additionally, they argue that this new policy turns logging into the game into a chore, one that’s completed only from their fear of missing out (FOMO).
Epic Games could be making a big mistake by doing this, as this happened during the holidays when people typically travel for family or vacation. It’s especially unfortunate for some people who aren’t always available to get on due to issues like limited internet access, health concerns (eye strain, sleep loss, mental health) and personal responsibilities like work, school or family.
By removing the option to allow players to collect past gifts, Epic Games risks alienating a loyal player base that views Winterfest as the highlight of the holidays in the gamer world.
