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Some battle royale enthusiasts are experiencing disappointed, and it's not due to recent virtual events. Fortnite's current mini-season, that brings a Simpsons-themed map, has also unveiled a fresh feature called pets. It's impossible to ignore that these latest companions are adorable. But, the attached costs have left numerous fans stunned at the developer's efforts to monetize nearly each part of the gaming experience.

What Are Companion Pets?

Sidekicks are basically similar to Pokémon, but with some drawbacks. You can name them, and they will follow your character throughout a game. These sidekicks are indestructible, and players can interact with them. Opposing gamers not in the player's squad are unable to view sidekicks — and displaying one's animal friends is arguably a big part of the fun of owning them. Pets can be outfitted with costumes and gestures, however the controversy centers on their appearance. Each pet's overall appearance can only be changed once, after which that selection is permanent. You can select a sidekick's fur shade, secondary colors, eye colors, pattern, and their build size.

The Expensive Customization Mechanism

Should a player afterward decide that you want their sidekick to appear a bit different, it's not possible to simply continue to modify its look. You have to purchase a new sidekick. And, these pets are not cheap. The majority of players are obtaining the banana-themed pet, since it's included with this season's battle pass. According to unofficial reports, upcoming 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. You can change the name of a companion as many times as you'd like.

Community Response and Comparisons

Most pets haven't been officially released yet, meaning the pricing could easily change. Yet regardless of whether the company makes sidekicks more affordable, much of the anger stems from the fact that gamers might have to pay for a one type of pet more than once. To certain players, the cost structure feels especially unfair when the game has already added companions that are carried around inside back blings. Backpack companions do not have a customization limitation and are visible by other participants in the game. Backpack buddies cannot be given a name or perform emotes, however opposing gamers can occasionally interact with them — and this is more favorable than remaining invisible altogether.

Lack of special features and restricted engagement options have numerous gamers experiencing underwhelmed. Why can't a player, for example, interact playfully with their stylish fruit-themed pet? A few note that sidekicks do not always keep up with the player if a game is moving quickly, or observe that the banana pet takes up two spots in the battle pass — which reinforces the idea that the company is squeezing the community for revenue. Greedy is a term that's coming up frequently in such discussions, with some likening sidekick monetization to similar intense pricing schemes in titles like popular sports games. Additionally, it adds to the issue that certain sidekicks are projected to be more expensive than equivalent outfit versions.

"PLEASE avoid purchasing Sidekicks," urges a popular online post that advises fellow gamers to proverbially vote with their wallets.

"I know they're cute," the thread continues, "we realize they're enjoyable. I know we have all been looking forward to them. But the greed on display is unacceptable and must not be rewarded."

The Bigger Context of Virtual Spending

Over the past few years, Fortnite's special occasions and partnerships have expanded in scale and aspiration, but the no-cost-to-start game still must generate income. Therefore, the total quantity of items users can now purchase has become nearly overwhelming. Beyond basics like back blings, deployment tools, harvesting tools, and gestures, you could potentially use money on footwear, music tracks, instruments, building blocks, vehicles, tires, custom paint jobs, seasonal rewards, and a subscription. Companion pets do not just cost payment, and also introduce a host of fresh revenue options for the developer. Presumably, players will before long be able to pay for items like sidekick appearances, outfits, gestures, and additional engagement features.

Every one of such cosmetics are completely voluntary and not necessary to have fun with the experience, yet gear can nonetheless influence your community experience. Younger players, for example, sometimes face bullying for using flashy enough skins. A comparable issue also occurred when the company launched licensed shoes, which may be priced from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. That shoe cost model was not popular as well, and a few players vowed that they'd avoid succumb to the pressure back then. But ultimately, buying footwear grew normalized. Now, sidekicks are additionally testing the limits of how much a player could be willing to spend to stand out within the player base.

What's Ahead for Sidekicks?

Sidekicks are currently a relatively recent addition, and they're part of a game that updates frequently. A few players are sharing that they've received a questionnaire that assesses how people think about pet functionality and pricing, and this might potentially indicate that the developer's plans are remain subject to change. Yet if the game footwear are a sign, companions likely will not get cheaper overall — there will just be a wider selection of costs to choose from.

Ultimately, while certain players are expressing anger at Fortnite item costs, others are experiencing only joy for their competitive pals.