Power in Skin: The Interplay of Self-Presentation, Tactical Play, and Spending in Fortnite
summary
Survey (N=247) and interviews (N=11) analyze Fortnite spending and find concrete links: identifiability increases spending, self-disclosure decreases spending, self-presence shows no significant effect, and solo play correlates with higher expenditures. Qualitative interviews identify five mechanisms—demand for uniqueness, emotional attachment to customized avatars, pursuit of aesthetics, skins as status-based gameplay strategy, and community/team matching—and show cosmetic items are used tactically, suggesting design levers for monetization and clearer signaling of player experience.
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