Fortnite's Star Wars season has introduced its most exciting new skin yet, hailing from a galaxy far, far away—and it has surprised players by requiring an immense 1.28 million XP grind to unlock.
Darth Jar Jar recently became purchasable in Fortnite's item shop, but only after players earn the prerequisite right to do so. Even after accumulating that massive 1.28 million XP, acquiring Darth Jar Jar still costs 1500 V-Bucks (approximately $13).
While Fortnite has previously locked cosmetics behind XP requirements, it has done so only once in recent memory, and never for a skin as highly anticipated as this one, which was seen as a key release for this shortened Star Wars season.
Now several weeks into the season, players have less time to earn the necessary XP before Darth Jar Jar disappears, with the Star Wars season concluding on June 7. For those who have already completed their Battle Pass, this represents a fresh and significant new level-grinding objective.
"I was incredibly excited for this skin and was perfectly fine with it being behind a paywall—after all, it's just a cosmetic," shared one fan on Reddit in a lengthy thread dedicated to Darth Jar Jar's debut. "But locking it behind an XP wall is absurd. You want me to earn the *privilege* of giving you money? I immediately closed the game."
Another frequent point of criticism is that Darth Jar Jar was released alongside a standard Jar Jar Binks skin, which lacks an XP requirement but still costs a separate 1500 V-Bucks.
When you factor in all the accessories for both the Sith Lord and Gungan versions of this skin, the total cost for everything Jar Jar Binks-related could reach 6,500 V-Bucks—a substantial sum.
"Regular Jar Jar alone is 20 dollars," another fan commented. "If you want both versions, that’s 52 whole dollars for something that should have just been one skin with three style options."
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On the other hand, some players have countered that Jar Jar is merely an optional cosmetic—you don't have to buy him at all if you're not interested. Simply ignore him, and your Fortnite locker will remain free of this character, much like George Lucas likely wished after the backlash to *The Phantom Menace.*
"Earning the XP wasn't that difficult; it took me around eight or nine hours," wrote another player. "I had no plans last Saturday. I completed it in three sessions, all in one day. I played Rocket Racing and Ranked modes and focused on Alignment Challenges to farm XP as efficiently as possible.
"No one is forcing you to buy every item in the shop. You can pick and choose. Considering he was only 1500 V-Bucks when Deathstroke cost 1800, I wasn't bothered by the price. I was frustrated at first, but after a couple of hours, I realized I'd already earned over 300,000 XP."
The Fortnite Star Wars season continues this week with a new focus on Mandalorian warriors, alongside the highly anticipated release of a new customizable Mandalorian skin in the item shop.
Epic Games' battle royale will conclude its interstellar adventure with a live narrative event on June 7. Fans speculate this event will involve boarding the Death Star, which has been looming ominously over the game's island since the season began.
Earlier this month, Epic Games' ongoing dispute with Apple intensified after Fortnite was reportedly prevented from returning to the iPhone App Store in the United States.
