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A number of battle royale players are feeling disappointed, and it's not due to recent in-game happenings. Fortnite's current mini-season, which brings a Simpsons-themed map, also rolled out a fresh feature known as sidekicks. It's impossible to deny that the latest companions are cute. However, the associated costs have left many fans shocked at this developer's attempts to profit from nearly each aspect of the game.

Understanding Companion Pets?

Sidekicks are basically similar to digital creatures, but with some limitations. You can give them a name, and they will follow your character throughout a match. They are indestructible, and you can interact with them. Opposing players outside the player's squad cannot view sidekicks — and showing off one's companions is perhaps a big part of the enjoyment of owning them. Sidekicks can be outfitted with costumes and emotes, however the debate centers on their looks. A sidekick's main appearance can only be changed once, at which point that selection is final. You can select a sidekick's fur shade, secondary colors, iris tones, markings, and its build size.

The Costly Customization Mechanism

Should you later choose that they'd like their sidekick to appear slightly altered, it's not possible to just further modify its appearance. Players must purchase a new companion. Furthermore, these pets are not cheap. Most people are getting the banana-themed pet, since it is included with this season's reward track. Based on unofficial reports, upcoming pets could cost from 1,000 to 1,500 V-Bucks; for reference, 1,000 V-Bucks costs $8.99 and 2,800 V-Bucks cost $22.99. However, players can rename a sidekick as many times as you'd like.

Community Response and Comparisons

Most sidekicks haven't been officially released so far, so the cost could easily change. But even if the developer makes companions more affordable, a lot of the anger stems from the reality that gamers might have to spend for a single type of pet multiple times. For some, the cost structure feels especially unfair when the game has already introduced companions that are carried around as part of backpack accessories. Back bling companions lack a customization limitation and are visible by other players in the match. Back bling pets can't be given a name or use gestures, however opposing players can sometimes engage with them — and this is more favorable than remaining invisible altogether.

Lack of special functions and restricted interaction options have numerous players experiencing underwhelmed. Why can't a player, for example, play fetch with your stylish fruit-themed pet? A few note that sidekicks sometimes fail to keep up with the player if a match is moving quickly, or observe that Peels takes up two spots in the reward system — which reinforces the notion that the developer is pressuring the community for money. Greedy is a word that's coming up often in such conversations, with a number of likening pet monetization to similar aggressive pricing schemes in titles like EA Sports FC. Additionally, it doesn't help that certain sidekicks are projected to be pricier than equivalent character skin counterparts.

"We urge you to avoid purchasing Companion Pets," pleads a highly-voted community thread that advises fellow players to figuratively vote with their wallets.

"I know these pets are cute," the post adds, "I know they are fun. We are aware we have all been looking forward to them. But the monetization focus on display is disgusting and should not be rewarded."

The Bigger Context of In-Game Purchases

In recent years, the game's special occasions and partnerships have grown in scope and ambition, yet the no-cost-to-start title still must earn income. Therefore, the sheer number of cosmetics users are able to now buy has grown nearly overwhelming. Beyond basics like back blings, deployment tools, harvesting tools, and emotes, you could possibly spend cash on footwear, songs, musical tools, building blocks, cars, tires, vehicle drift colors, seasonal rewards, and a subscription. Companion pets not only cost money, and also introduce a range of fresh revenue options for the company. Presumably, users will before long be in a position to pay for items like pet appearances, costumes, emotes, and additional interaction features.

All of such cosmetics are completely optional and unneeded to have fun with the game, yet equipment can nonetheless influence your community interactions. Kids, for example, sometimes encounter bullying for using impressive sufficiently cool skins. A comparable issue also occurred when the developer launched brand-name kicks, which can range from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. The footwear pricing scheme was not well received as well, and some players promised that they wouldn't fall prey to the pressure at the time. However in the end, purchasing footwear grew commonplace. Now, companion pets are further testing the boundaries of what a gamer could be willing to spend to stand out amongst the crowd.

What's Next for Sidekicks?

Sidekicks are still a relatively new feature, and they exist a title that updates frequently. A few players are sharing that they have received a survey that assesses how people feel about sidekick mechanics and pricing, which could possibly indicate that the developer's strategy are still fluid. Yet if Fortnite shoes are a sign, companions likely won't get more affordable in general — there will just be a broader range of costs to choose from.

Ultimately, while certain individuals are expressing anger at Fortnite shop prices, different players are feeling only happiness for their new battle royale pals.