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A number of Fortnite enthusiasts are feeling disappointed, and it's not due to recent virtual happenings. The game's current mini-season, which introduces a Springfield map, also rolled out a brand-new feature known as sidekicks. It's impossible to ignore that the new companions are cute. But, the associated costs have left many players stunned at the developer's efforts to profit from nearly each aspect of the game.

What Are Sidekicks?

Companions are essentially similar to digital creatures, but with a few drawbacks. Players can name them, and they will follow your character throughout a match. These sidekicks are immortal, and players can pet them. Other players not in the player's party cannot see these pets — and showing off one's animal friends is arguably half the enjoyment of having them. Pets can be customized with costumes and emotes, but the controversy revolves around their looks. Each sidekick's main appearance can only be changed one time, at which point that selection is permanent. Players can select a sidekick's coat color, secondary colors, iris tones, pattern, and its build size.

The Costly Personalization System

Should a player later decide that you want their pet to appear a bit altered, it's not possible to simply further customize its appearance. You have to purchase another sidekick. And, these pets aren't cheap. The majority of people are obtaining the Peels pet, since it is included in the current battle pass. Based on leaks, upcoming pets 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 are $22.99. You can change the name of a companion whenever you'd like.

Community Reaction and Parallels

Most pets have not been officially launched yet, meaning the pricing could well change. Yet regardless of whether the developer sets companions more affordable, a lot of the frustration stems from the fact that players might need to spend for a single type of sidekick more than once. To certain players, the cost structure seems particularly egregious considering the developer has previously added companions that ride around inside backpack accessories. Backpack companions lack a restriction on changes and are visible by other participants in the match. Backpack buddies can't be given a name or perform emotes, however opposing gamers can occasionally interact with them — which is better than being invisible altogether.

Lack of unique functions and restricted interaction choices have many gamers feeling disappointed. Why can't you, such as, play fetch with your stylish banana dog? Some point out that companions sometimes fail to stay close with the user if a game is moving quickly, or mention that the banana pet takes up two spots in the battle pass — which supports the notion that the company is pressuring the community for money. Profit-driven is a word that's coming up often in such discussions, with some likening sidekick pricing to other intense pricing schemes in games like popular sports games. Additionally, it doesn't help that certain sidekicks are expected to be pricier than their character skin counterparts.

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

"I know they're adorable," the thread continues, "I know they're fun. We are aware everyone has been looking forward to them. But the monetization focus being shown is unacceptable and should not be supported."

The Broader Picture of Virtual Spending

In recent years, the game's events and collaborations have expanded in scale and aspiration, yet the free-to-play title still needs to earn income. As such, the total number of cosmetics users are able to now buy has become almost overwhelming. In addition to standard items like back accessories, gliders, harvesting tools, and emotes, players might potentially spend money on footwear, music tracks, instruments, building blocks, cars, tires, vehicle drift colors, battle passes, and a membership. Sidekicks not only cost money, but also bring in a range of fresh monetization avenues for the company. Presumably, players will soon be able to pay for things like sidekick appearances, costumes, gestures, and additional engagement features.

All of such customization items are completely voluntary and unneeded to enjoy the game, yet equipment can nonetheless influence your community interactions. Kids, for instance, sometimes face teasing for not wearing impressive enough skins. A comparable situation also transpired when the developer launched brand-name kicks, which may be priced from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. That footwear pricing scheme was not well received either, and a few players vowed that they'd avoid succumb to the temptation at the time. However in the end, purchasing shoes became normalized. Now, companion pets are further pushing the boundaries of how much a gamer could be willing to pay to stand out within the player base.

What is Ahead for Companion Pets?

Pets are still a relatively recent feature, and they exist a game that updates frequently. Some players are sharing that they've received a survey that gauges how people feel about pet mechanics and monetization, and this might possibly mean that the developer's strategy are remain fluid. But if Fortnite footwear are a sign, companions probably won't get cheaper in general — there will just be a broader selection of costs to choose from.

Ultimately, while some players are raging at Fortnite item costs, others are experiencing only joy for their battle royale pals.