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Some battle royale players are feeling disappointed, and it's not because of recent virtual happenings. Fortnite's current mini-season, which introduces a Springfield map, has also unveiled a fresh feature called pets. It's impossible to deny that these latest companions are adorable. But, the attached prices have left numerous fans stunned at the developer's attempts to monetize almost each part of the game.

What Are Sidekicks?

Sidekicks are essentially like Pokémon, though having some drawbacks. Players can give them a name, and these pets will follow you throughout a game. They are indestructible, and you can interact with them. Opposing players outside your squad are unable to see these pets — and showing off one's animal friends is perhaps a big part of the enjoyment of having them. Sidekicks are able to be outfitted with costumes and emotes, but the controversy centers on their appearance. Each pet's main design can only be altered once, after which that selection is permanent. Players can choose a sidekick's coat color, secondary colors, eye colors, markings, and their body type.

A Expensive Personalization System

Should you afterward decide that you want your sidekick to appear a bit altered, you cannot just further customize its appearance. Players must purchase another sidekick. Furthermore, sidekicks are not inexpensive. The majority of people are getting the banana-themed pet, since it's packaged with this season's reward track. Based on unofficial reports, upcoming pets could be priced at from 1,000 to 1,500 V-Bucks; for reference, 1,000 V-Bucks is priced at $8.99 and 2,800 V-Bucks cost $22.99. However, players can rename a companion whenever you'd like.

Community Reaction and Comparisons

Most sidekicks have not been officially released so far, so the cost may easily be adjusted. Yet regardless of whether the developer sets sidekicks more affordable, a lot of the frustration stems from the reality that gamers might need to pay for a one kind of sidekick more than once. To certain players, the pricing scheme feels particularly egregious when the developer has previously added pets that ride around as part of backpack accessories. Back bling companions lack a restriction on changes and can be seen by fellow players in the game. Back bling pets can't be named or perform gestures, however opposing players can sometimes interact with them — which is more favorable than being invisible completely.

Lack of unique features and limited engagement choices have numerous players feeling underwhelmed. Why can't a player, for example, interact playfully with their stylish fruit-themed pet? Some note that companions do not always stay close with the player if a match is fast-paced, or observe that Peels occupies two spots in the reward system — which supports the notion that the company is squeezing the community for money. Profit-driven is a word that's coming up frequently in such discussions, with some comparing sidekick monetization to other aggressive pricing schemes in games like EA Sports FC. Additionally, it adds to the issue that some pets are expected to be pricier than equivalent outfit versions.

"PLEASE avoid buy Sidekicks," urges a popular community thread that encourages fellow players to figuratively vote with their wallets.

"We understand these pets are adorable," the thread adds, "I know they are enjoyable. We are aware everyone has been anticipating them. However the greed on display is unacceptable and must not be supported."

A Bigger Picture of In-Game Spending

In recent years, the game's events and partnerships have grown in scale and ambition, but the free-to-play game continues to needs to earn income. As such, the total number of items users can now buy has become almost overwhelming. Beyond basics like back accessories, gliders, pickaxes, and emotes, players might possibly use money on footwear, songs, instruments, Lego pieces, cars, tires, vehicle drift colors, battle passes, and a subscription. Sidekicks not only require payment, and also bring in a range of new monetization avenues for the developer. It is likely, users will before long be able to spend for items like pet looks, costumes, emotes, and additional interaction options.

Every one of these customization items are entirely optional and unneeded to have fun with the experience, yet equipment can still influence your community interactions. Younger players, for instance, at times encounter teasing for not wearing impressive enough outfits. A similar situation previously transpired when the developer introduced licensed shoes, which can range from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. The footwear cost model was not popular either, and some players vowed that they'd avoid succumb to the pressure back then. However in the end, buying shoes grew commonplace. Today, companion pets are additionally pushing the boundaries of what a player might be willing to spend to stand out within the crowd.

What is Ahead for Companion Pets?

Sidekicks are still a fairly new feature, and they exist a title that changes regularly. Some players are sharing that they have gotten a questionnaire that gauges how the community think about sidekick mechanics and pricing, and this might potentially indicate that the company's strategy are remain subject to change. Yet if Fortnite footwear are a sign, sidekicks likely won't get more affordable overall — instead, there may be a wider selection of costs to choose from.

Ultimately, while certain individuals are raging at Fortnite item costs, others are experiencing only joy for their battle royale friends.