🔗 Share this article

A number of battle royale players are experiencing disappointed, and it's not because of recent in-game happenings. Fortnite's newest mini-season, that brings a Simpsons-themed map, also rolled out a brand-new feature called pets. It's impossible to ignore that the new pets are adorable. However, the associated prices have left numerous players stunned at the developer's efforts to profit from almost each part of the game.

Understanding Sidekicks?

Companions are basically similar to digital creatures, though having a few drawbacks. You can name them, and they will accompany your character during a game. They are indestructible, and you can pet them. Other gamers not in your party cannot view sidekicks — and displaying your animal friends is arguably half the enjoyment of owning them. Pets can be customized with costumes and gestures, but the debate centers on their looks. A pet's overall appearance can only be altered one time, after which that selection becomes final. You can choose a sidekick's fur shade, secondary colors, iris tones, pattern, and its build size.

The Expensive Customization Mechanism

Should you later choose that they'd like your pet to look a bit different, you cannot just further modify the look. You have to purchase another sidekick. And, these pets aren't inexpensive. Most people are obtaining the banana-themed sidekick, because it is packaged with the current reward track. Based on unofficial reports, future sidekicks could cost anywhere between 1,000 to 1,500 V-Bucks; to put that in perspective, 1,000 V-Bucks costs $8.99 and 2,800 V-Bucks cost $22.99. However, players can rename a companion as many times as you'd like.

Community Reaction and Parallels

The majority of sidekicks haven't been officially launched yet, so the pricing may easily change. Yet regardless of whether the developer makes companions more affordable, a lot of the frustration comes from the fact that gamers might have to pay for a single kind of sidekick multiple times. To certain players, the cost structure seems particularly egregious considering the developer has already introduced companions that ride around inside backpack accessories. Back bling pets do not have a customization limitation and are visible by other players in the game. Back bling pets cannot be named or use emotes, but other gamers can occasionally engage with them — and this is more favorable than being unseen altogether.

Lack of unique features and limited engagement choices have numerous players experiencing disappointed. For instance, why is it not possible to a player, such as, play fetch with your stylish fruit-themed pet? A few note that companions do not always keep up with the user if a match is fast-paced, or observe that the banana pet takes up two spots in the reward system — which supports the notion that the company is pressuring the community for revenue. Profit-driven is a word that's coming up frequently in these conversations, with some likening sidekick monetization to similar aggressive monetization models in games like popular sports games. Additionally, it doesn't help that some sidekicks are projected to be more expensive than equivalent outfit counterparts.

"PLEASE do not purchasing Companion Pets," urges one highly-voted community post that advises other gamers to proverbially express disapproval by not spending.

"I know they're cute," the thread continues, "we realize they are fun. We are aware we have all been anticipating them. However the greed being shown is unacceptable and must not be rewarded."

The Bigger Picture of Virtual Spending

In recent years, Fortnite's events and collaborations have grown in scope and ambition, yet the no-cost-to-start game still needs to earn revenue. As such, the total quantity of items players can now buy has become almost overwhelming. Beyond standard items like back blings, gliders, harvesting tools, and emotes, you could possibly use money on footwear, songs, instruments, building blocks, cars, wheels, custom paint jobs, battle passes, and a subscription. Companion pets do not just cost money, and also introduce a host of fresh revenue avenues for the developer. It is likely, users will soon be in a position to pay for items like pet looks, costumes, emotes, and additional interaction features.

All of these cosmetics are completely voluntary and not necessary to have fun with the game, yet gear can nonetheless affect a player's community interactions. Younger players, for instance, at times encounter bullying for using flashy enough skins. A comparable issue also occurred when the company launched brand-name kicks, which can range from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. That footwear cost model wasn't well received either, and some fans promised that they'd avoid succumb to the pressure back then. However in the end, purchasing footwear grew commonplace. Now, companion pets are additionally pushing the limits of what a gamer might be prepared to pay to be distinctive within the crowd.

What is Ahead for Sidekicks?

Sidekicks are still a relatively new feature, and they're part of a title that updates frequently. Some players are reporting that they've received a questionnaire that assesses how the community think about sidekick functionality and pricing, and this might possibly indicate that the developer's strategy are still subject to change. But if Fortnite shoes are any indication, companions likely won't get more affordable overall — there will just be a wider selection of prices to choose from.

Ultimately, where certain individuals are expressing anger at Fortnite shop prices, others are feeling nothing but joy for their competitive pals.