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A number of Fortnite players are experiencing disappointed, and it's not due to the latest virtual happenings. The game's newest mini-season, which brings a Springfield world, has also unveiled a fresh feature known as sidekicks. There's no ignore that the new pets are adorable. However, the associated costs have left numerous players stunned at this developer's efforts to monetize nearly every aspect of the game.

Understanding Companion Pets?

Sidekicks are basically like digital creatures, though having a few limitations. Players can give them a name, and these pets will accompany your character during a match. They are immortal, and you can pet them. Other players not in the player's party are unable to view these pets — and displaying one's companions is perhaps a big part of the fun of having them. Sidekicks are able to be outfitted with costumes and emotes, but the debate revolves around their looks. A sidekick's main appearance can only be altered one time, after which that selection becomes permanent. Players can select a companion's fur shade, secondary colors, iris tones, markings, and its build size.

A Costly Customization System

If you later decide that you want your pet to look a bit different, you cannot simply further modify its appearance. Players must purchase another companion. Furthermore, these pets are not inexpensive. Most players are obtaining the Peels sidekick, since it is packaged with this season's reward track. Based on leaks, upcoming pets may cost from 1,000 to 1,500 V-Bucks; for reference, 1,000 V-Bucks is priced at $8.99 and 2,800 V-Bucks are $22.99. You can rename a sidekick whenever you'd like.

Community Reaction and Parallels

The majority of pets have not been officially launched yet, so the cost could easily change. But regardless of whether the developer makes sidekicks more affordable, much of the frustration stems from the fact that gamers could have to spend for a single kind of sidekick more than once. For some, the cost structure feels particularly unfair when the developer has already introduced companions that ride around inside back blings. Backpack companions do not have a restriction on changes and are visible by other players in the match. Backpack buddies can't be named or use gestures, but other gamers are able to occasionally engage with them — and this is more favorable than remaining unseen altogether.

The absence of special features and limited interaction choices have many gamers experiencing disappointed. Why can't a player, such as, interact playfully with your fancy banana dog? A few point out that companions do not always stay close with the player if a match is fast-paced, or mention that the banana pet occupies two spots in the reward system — and this reinforces the notion that the company is squeezing players for revenue. Profit-driven is a term that's appearing frequently in such conversations, with some comparing sidekick monetization to similar aggressive pricing schemes in titles like EA Sports FC. It also doesn't help that some pets are expected to be pricier than their outfit counterparts.

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

"We understand these pets are adorable," the thread adds, "I know they're fun. We are aware everyone has been looking forward to them. However the greed being shown is disgusting and must not be rewarded."

The Broader Context of In-Game Purchases

Over the past few years, the game's special occasions and collaborations have grown in scope and ambition, yet the free-to-play game continues to must generate revenue. Therefore, the sheer number of cosmetics users are able to currently buy has become almost overwhelming. In addition to basics like back accessories, gliders, harvesting tools, and emotes, players might potentially use cash on footwear, songs, musical tools, Lego pieces, cars, tires, vehicle drift colors, battle passes, and a subscription. Companion pets not only require money, and also bring in a host of fresh monetization options for the developer. It is likely, players will soon be able to pay for things like pet appearances, costumes, emotes, and additional interaction options.

All of such customization items are completely optional and not necessary to enjoy the experience, but gear can still influence your social experience. Younger players, for example, sometimes encounter teasing for using flashy sufficiently cool skins. A similar situation also transpired when the developer launched licensed kicks, which may be priced from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. The footwear cost model was not well received as well, and a few players vowed that they wouldn't fall prey to the pressure at the time. But ultimately, purchasing footwear grew commonplace. Today, companion pets are additionally pushing the limits of what a player might be willing to pay to be distinctive amongst the player base.

What's Ahead for Companion Pets?

Sidekicks are still a relatively recent feature, and they're part of a title that changes regularly. Some players are reporting that they have gotten a survey that assesses how the community think about sidekick functionality and pricing, which could possibly indicate that the company's plans are remain subject to change. Yet if Fortnite shoes are any indication, companions likely will not get cheaper overall — there will just be a broader range of costs to shop.

Ultimately, where some players are expressing anger at the game shop prices, different players are experiencing only joy for their new battle royale pals.