United Kingdom, March 11 -- Epic Games has said it is raising the price of V-Bucks used in Fortnite because the cost of operating the game has apparently soared - prompting criticism from players.

The developer Epic Games announced that from 19 March the amount of V-Bucks players receive when purchasing the in-game currency will be reduced.

It also confirmed bonus currency rewards will be removed from the game's main battle pass, though the cost of that pass will decrease.

Fortnite, which launched in 2017 and is free to play, generates revenue primarily through optional purchases including subscriptions, cosmetic items and seasonal passes known as microtransactions.

Despite the change to currency packs, Epic said the main battle pass ...