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A number of battle royale players are experiencing disappointed, and this isn't due to recent virtual happenings. Fortnite's current mini-season, which introduces a Springfield world, also rolled out a brand-new mechanic called sidekicks. There's no deny that these latest pets are cute. However, the attached prices have left many players shocked at the company's efforts to profit from almost each aspect of the gaming experience.

What Are Companion Pets?

Companions are essentially similar to digital creatures, though having a few limitations. You can name them, and they will accompany you throughout a match. They are immortal, and players can interact with them. Opposing gamers outside the player's squad are unable to see sidekicks — and showing off your animal friends is arguably a big part of the fun of owning them. Pets can be outfitted with outfits and emotes, however the controversy revolves around their appearance. Each sidekick's overall design can only be changed once, at which point that choice becomes permanent. You can choose a sidekick's fur shade, accent hues, iris tones, pattern, and their body type.

A Costly Personalization Mechanism

If you afterward choose that they'd like their sidekick to appear a bit altered, you cannot simply continue to modify its look. Players must buy a new sidekick. Furthermore, sidekicks aren't cheap. Most players are obtaining the banana-themed sidekick, since it is included with this season's reward track. Based on leaks, future pets may be priced at from 1,000 to 1,500 V-Bucks; to put that in perspective, 1,000 V-Bucks is priced at $8.99 and 2,800 V-Bucks are $22.99. However, players can rename a sidekick whenever you'd like.

Player Response and Parallels

Most pets have not been officially launched yet, meaning the cost could easily be adjusted. But even if the developer sets sidekicks more affordable, much of the anger stems from the reality that players could have to pay for a one kind of sidekick multiple times. For some, the pricing scheme seems particularly unfair considering the game has previously added pets that ride about inside backpack accessories. Backpack companions lack a restriction on changes and are visible by other participants in the match. Back bling pets can't be named or use gestures, however other gamers are able to sometimes engage with them — and this is more favorable than remaining invisible completely.

Lack of special functions and restricted engagement choices have many gamers experiencing underwhelmed. Why can't you, such as, play fetch with their stylish banana dog? A few note that companions sometimes fail to stay close with the player if a match is moving quickly, or mention that Peels occupies two spots in the battle pass — which reinforces the notion that the developer is pressuring players for money. Profit-driven is a term that's coming up often in these conversations, with a number of comparing sidekick pricing to similar intense pricing schemes in titles like EA Sports FC. It also doesn't help that some pets are expected to be pricier than their outfit versions.

"We urge you to do not purchasing Companion Pets," urges a popular community post that advises fellow gamers to figuratively express disapproval by not spending.

"I know these pets are adorable," the post continues, "I know they are fun. I know we have all been looking forward to them. However the greed being shown is disgusting and should not be supported."

The Broader Picture of In-Game Spending

Over the past few years, Fortnite's special occasions and collaborations have expanded in scope and aspiration, but the no-cost-to-start game continues to needs to generate revenue. As such, the total number of cosmetics players can now purchase has become nearly excessive. In addition to basics like back accessories, deployment tools, harvesting tools, and emotes, you could potentially spend money on shoes, songs, musical tools, Lego pieces, vehicles, tires, vehicle drift colors, seasonal rewards, and a membership. Companion pets not only require payment, and also introduce a range of fresh monetization avenues for the company. Presumably, users will soon be able to spend for things like sidekick appearances, costumes, gestures, and additional interaction features.

All of these cosmetics are completely optional and unneeded to have fun with the game, yet equipment can still affect a player's social interactions. Younger players, for instance, at times encounter teasing for using impressive sufficiently cool skins. A comparable situation previously occurred when the company introduced brand-name kicks, which can range from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. The shoe cost model was not well received either, and a few players vowed that they wouldn't fall prey to the temptation at the time. However ultimately, purchasing shoes grew commonplace. Now, companion pets are additionally pushing the limits of what a player could be prepared to pay to be distinctive amongst the crowd.

What's Next for Companion Pets?

Sidekicks are still a relatively new feature, and they exist a title that updates regularly. A few players are reporting that they have received a questionnaire that assesses how people think about sidekick functionality and monetization, which could potentially mean that the developer's strategy are still subject to change. But if the game footwear are any indication, sidekicks probably will not get more affordable in general — there will just be a wider selection of prices to choose from.

After all, while certain players are expressing anger at the game item costs, different players are feeling only happiness for their new competitive pals.