Fortnite’s Bold Move, Cyber Monday Wins, and The Verge’s Big Bet on Subscriptions.

✨ Welcome to this week’s Subscriptions Weekly! ✨

This week, we’re diving into: 🎮 Fortnite’s Battle Pass hike and its impact on gaming subscriptions 📰 The Verge’s bold shift to paid journalism 💡 Cyber Monday insights on subscriber behavior 📊 Trends reshaping subscriptions and your strategy. Let’s dive into what’s driving the subscription world today—and tomorrow. 🚀

🎮 Fortnite Upsets Fans with Battle Pass Changes

Fortnite has raised its Battle Pass price for the first time ever, from 950 to 1,000 V-Bucks (around $8.99 / £6.99). Plus, they’re offering access to cool new game modes like Lego Fortnite with their Fortnite Crew subscription.

Sounds like a win, right? Not everyone agrees. In a crowded gaming landscape where value is everything, fans are questioning if the extra content justifies the price hike. }

📖 What’s your take? Read more here.

📰 The Verge Dives into Paid Subscriptions

The Verge just launched its new subscription model. For $7 a month or $50 a year, users can enjoy ad-free reading, exclusive newsletters, and premium content.

It’s a bold move to support independent journalism in a time when ads and algorithms aren’t cutting it. 

📖 Get the full scoop here.

💸 Cyber Monday: A Big Day for Subscriptions

Cyber Monday is still the king of online shopping days, with $12.3 billion in sales this year (Adobe). But what about subscriptions? Here’s what Recurly found when we crunched the numbers:

• $41.9M spent by subscribers on Recurly merchants, up 18% from 2023.
• $17.48 average spend per transaction, with plenty of upsells and add-ons.
• 252,149 new subscribers, a 13% jump compared to November’s daily average.
• Apple Pay transactions soared 80%, leading the charge for alternative payments.
• 153,380 coupons redeemed, with Publishing seeing a massive 189% spike in signups.

What’s the big takeaway? Personalization, seamless payment options, and irresistible offers win every time.

📖 Check out the full breakdown here.

📊 Trends That Are Reshaping Subscriptions

The subscription economy keeps growing (faster than the S&P 500!), but the way it’s growing is shifting. Here’s what’s bubbling under the surface:

• It’s not just about getting new subscribers anymore—it’s about keeping the ones you have.
• Personalization isn’t a “nice to have” anymore. It’s the secret to loyalty.
• People want control—flexible pricing, payment options, and tailored experiences are non-negotiable.

Subscription businesses that adapt to these shifts are the ones that will thrive.

📖 Read more about these trends here.

🚀 Ready for What’s Next in Subscriptions?

📊 Discover the trends driving subscription growth in 2025 with insights from our exclusive 2025 State of Subscriptions Report. Don’t miss the chance to get ahead 👉 👉 Join the waitlist today 

🎥 Missed Subscription Sessions? We’ve Got You Covered.

Now available on-demand, dive into actionable strategies, expert insights, and emerging trends to optimize growth and retention while future-proofing your subscription business. 👉 Watch now

From the Recurly blog

• How to optimize your member journeys for a better subscription experience
• The path to profitability—and how to achieve it
• Cyber Monday 2024 report: Trends & benchmarks in subscriptions