In the sprawling, ever-rearranging cabinet of Fortnite rewards, the Midnight Scythe Pickaxe occupies a peculiar drawer. It was never a Battle Pass tier, a tournament prize, or a direct Item Shop purchase. Instead, Epic Games attached it to a real-world retail promotion in early 2024, asking players to buy a physical V-Bucks card and redeem it through the official Epic Games website. By 2026, that window has closed, but the promotion remains a useful example of how digital economies can reach through the screen and tug at physical store shelves.

The Original Offer: V-Bucks Card Plus a Bonus Pickaxe

Between March 18 and April 14, 2024, Epic Games offered the Midnight Scythe Pickaxe to players who purchased a physical V-Bucks card and redeemed it on the official Epic Games redemption page. The card had to be a real, tangible object—not a digital code bought inside Fortnite or through the Epic Games Store. The promotion was like a paper crane folded from a banknote: a real-world purchase transformed into a digital ornament. Once redeemed, the player received both the V-Bucks value on the card and the Pickaxe. The V-Bucks could then be used on the Battle Pass, the Festival Pass, or most Item Shop offerings, excluding real-money bundles marked with actual currency prices.

For collectors, the appeal was obvious. The Midnight Scythe was not merely another harvesting tool; it was a receipt of participation, a scythe-shaped key to a vault that only opened for four weeks. Players who already had unused V-Bucks cards from holidays or earlier purchases could also redeem them during the eligibility period, provided the cards met the promotion's requirements.

Eligible Countries and Retail Availability

The promotional artwork initially suggested the offer was limited to the United States, but Epic's terms extended eligibility to several other countries. Players in the following regions could participate if they purchased a qualifying V-Bucks card:

Retail stores and grocery chains commonly stocked V-Bucks gift cards, and online retailers such as Amazon sold physical versions that could be mailed to buyers. The promotion moved through retail shelves like a traveling carnival, leaving behind no tent once it departed. That meant location and timing mattered: a player needed access to a participating country's retail ecosystem and had to redeem the card before the deadline.

V-Bucks Card Pricing at the Time

The physical cards carried fixed prices, which had risen in mid-2023 alongside digital bundles. The 2024 promotion used these standard tiers:

These prices mattered because the Midnight Scythe was a bonus, not a separate purchase. A player could choose the smallest card and still qualify, assuming all other conditions were met. The promotion effectively turned a standard currency purchase into a two-for-one deal: spend real money, receive V-Bucks, and unlock a limited cosmetic.

Why the Promotion Ended—and What It Means in 2026

By 2026, the Midnight Scythe promotion is firmly in the past. The redemption period ended on April 14, 2024, and Epic Games has not reopened it. Physical V-Bucks cards still exist in many regions, but they now deliver only their standard V-Bucks value; they do not grant the Midnight Scythe Pickaxe. Any unopened card from that era is therefore a piece of Fortnite history rather than a live ticket to the cosmetic. The Item Shop rotates on, Battle Passes come and go, and new limited-time events appear, but the Midnight Scythe remains a memento of a specific moment when Epic asked players to step outside the game to get something inside it.

For players who already own the Pickaxe, it is a permanent part of their locker. For those who missed it, there is no official path to claim it through this promotion. The episode illustrates a broader truth about live-service games: timing can be as valuable as currency, and a four-week window can turn a simple retail card into a collector's artifact.

Quick Summary

• 🪓 The Midnight Scythe Pickaxe was a promotional bonus for physical V-Bucks card redemptions.

• 📅 The offer ran from March 18 to April 14, 2024.

• 🌍 Eligible countries included the US, Canada, UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and several European nations.

• 💳 Players had to redeem a physical card on Epic's official website during the promotion.

• ⏳ In 2026, the promotion is expired; the Pickaxe cannot be obtained through this method anymore.