Epic Games has revealed the drop rate for Fortnite‘s Pirate Token after backlash surrounding the infamous in-game pickup saw fans try to report the studio to the FTC.
It’s been just one week since Epic turned the Item Shop on its head with the launch of its Treasure Hunters mini-season November 1. At the center of the backlash is the Pirate Token, an ultra-rare drop that grants access to the Pirate Shop and effectively makes every item in the shop free for 14 days.
It’s an in-game collectible with unprecedented value, so naturally, it’s sent players into a frenzy as they turn over every chest in hopes of finding one for themselves. The problem with a token like this, players have argued, is that they should probably be made aware of the odds of actually finding it so they don’t gamble their time on chests that could very likely never yield results. It’s transparency that Epic has failed to provide – until now.
Fortnite Treasure Hunters Images
The developers finally took steps to bring the backlash to an end with a post shared on the Fortnite Service X/Twitter account. Leaving no room for guesswork, Epic spelled out the exact drop rate for this season’s treasures and how luck may differ between the average day and Treasure Hours. The one caveat is that Treasure Hours drop rates may be higher in the future, with the team giving the example of a window from tonight that boosts rates for the Pirate Token and Weekly Gold Outfit. You can see the full breakdown below.
Fortnite Treasure Hunters Drop Rates
Normal Match
• 1:1,562,500 – Weekly Gold Outfit
• 1:137,500 – Pirate Shop Access
• 1:7,813 – Weekly Vehicle & Decal
• 1:568 – Weekly Pickaxe or Backbling
• 1:272 – Weekly Loading Screen
Treasure Hours
• Weekly Vehicle & Decal: 10x
It’s the not-knowing that’s been most painful for the thousands of fans who have dedicated hours upon hours looking for the Pirate Token in the last week. Some chose to stick to the grind, opening up chests to no avail. Many, many others, however, took their frustrations online.
“All Fortnite players deserve equal treatment,” one disgruntled player said. “Players who barely play get the Pirate Shop Access Token on day one, while longtime players with 3000+ chests get NOTHING. I’m calling on Fortnite players if we don’t get this token, let’s BOYCOTT FORTNITE FOREVER.”
Hello @FTC, Epic Games added a new “Pirate Token” which doesn’t have any public odds of getting it, which creates anti-consumer field/FOMO. The game is majorly played by children, they can do anything if they wouldn’t get it, so take action against Epic Games please
— KBAHTCET │ QuantSet (@QuantSet) November 5, 2026
You may not be too surprised to see some calling to boycott Fortnite over the confusion surrounding the Pirate Token. What may be a bit more shocking, though, are those who tried to report Epic to the Federal Trade Commission for failing to share odds out of the gate.
“What Fortnite has brought upon this game is predatory and is conducting a deceptive business practice making people believe that everyone has a ‘FAIR’ chance,” another player, who said they “wouldn’t be surprised” to see the FTC get involved. “I know people as well where entire squads with over 15,000 chests opened and not getting items simply as the car, jam track, pickaxe, or the loading screen. Fortnite needs to have better transparency with the community and their partners when it comes to hosting events like this.”
We now know that, during most hours of the day, everyone has a 1:137,000 chance of opening a chest that grants Pirate Shop Access. Before the clarification, players had no idea how many chests they should expect to open before letting frustration set in. A few players online had even surmised that the drop rate could be somewhere around 1:7,000, a far cry from what ended up being the reality.
@FortniteStatus “1:137,500 – Pirate Shop Access”
That’s why Luffy still hasn’t found the One Piece after 20 years. https://t.co/eSDpRLYZev
— UKNON Jones – OUT NOW! (@uknonjones) November 7, 2026
Fans are generally happy to see exact odds on their screens, even if they wish Epic had been more transparent at the season’s drop. For now, it’s unclear if the studio has any plans to try any moves like this again, or if drop rates will be clarified earlier on.
“Thank you, this is what we wanted,” @StableRonaldo said. “W Fortnite.”
“Thank you for transparency but it should not have taken a week,” @M1das_OW2 replied.
Fortnite again found itself in hot water when players launched a campaign against its Nikki from Obsession skin last month. Epic is reportedly working on a Star Wars and Marvel crossover game, though it was reportedly recently delayed.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
