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Some battle royale players are experiencing let down, and it's not because of recent virtual events. The game's newest mini-season, which introduces a Simpsons-themed world, also unveiled a brand-new feature called pets. It's impossible to ignore that these new pets are cute. But, the attached costs have left many fans stunned at the company's attempts to monetize nearly every part of the game.

What Are Sidekicks?

Companions are essentially similar to digital creatures, but having some drawbacks. You can give them a name, and these pets will accompany you throughout a match. They are indestructible, and players can pet them. Other gamers outside the player's party are unable to view sidekicks — and displaying one's companions is arguably a big part of the fun of having them. Sidekicks are able to be outfitted with outfits and gestures, however the controversy centers on their appearance. A pet's main design is only able to be altered once, at which point that selection is final. Players can choose a sidekick's coat color, accent hues, eye colors, pattern, and its build size.

The Expensive Customization System

Should you later choose that they'd like their pet to look slightly altered, you cannot simply further modify its appearance. Players must purchase a new companion. And, sidekicks aren't inexpensive. The majority of people are obtaining the Peels sidekick, because it is packaged in the current reward track. According to leaks, upcoming pets could be priced at from 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 rename a sidekick whenever they want.

Community Response and Parallels

Most pets have not been officially launched yet, so the cost may easily change. But even if the developer sets companions cheaper, a lot of the frustration stems from the reality that players could need to pay for a single kind of pet more than once. To certain players, the pricing scheme seems especially unfair when the developer has already added companions that ride about inside back blings. Backpack pets lack a restriction on changes and are visible by other participants in the match. Backpack buddies cannot be given a name or use emotes, however other players can sometimes engage with them — which is better than being unseen altogether.

Lack of unique features and limited interaction options have numerous gamers experiencing underwhelmed. For instance, why is it not possible to you, for example, play fetch with your stylish banana dog? A few point out that sidekicks sometimes fail to keep up with the player if a game is fast-paced, or observe that the banana pet takes up two slots in the battle pass — and this supports the notion that the company is squeezing the community for revenue. Greedy is a term that's coming up frequently in these discussions, with some likening pet monetization to other intense monetization models in games like popular sports games. It also doesn't help that some pets are projected to be pricier than their outfit counterparts.

"PLEASE avoid buy Sidekicks," urges a popular community thread that advises fellow gamers to figuratively express disapproval by not spending.

"I know these pets are cute," the post continues, "I know they are fun. We are aware everyone has been looking forward to them. However the monetization focus on display is unacceptable and must not be rewarded."

A Broader Context of In-Game Spending

Over the past few years, Fortnite's events and partnerships have grown in scale and aspiration, but the no-cost-to-start game still needs to generate income. As such, the sheer number of cosmetics players are able to currently buy has grown almost excessive. In addition to basics like back accessories, gliders, harvesting tools, and emotes, players might potentially spend cash on shoes, music tracks, musical tools, building blocks, cars, tires, vehicle drift colors, battle passes, and a subscription. Sidekicks not only require money, and also introduce a range of new monetization avenues for the developer. Presumably, players will soon be in a position to spend for items like sidekick looks, costumes, gestures, and further engagement features.

All of these customization items are entirely voluntary and not necessary to have fun with the game, but gear can nonetheless affect your social experience. Kids, for instance, sometimes encounter bullying for using impressive enough skins. A similar situation also occurred when the developer introduced licensed kicks, which may be priced from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. That shoe cost model wasn't well received either, and some fans promised that they wouldn't succumb to the temptation at the time. However ultimately, purchasing footwear became normalized. Now, companion pets are additionally testing the limits of how much a player could be willing to spend to stand out within the player base.

What is Ahead for Companion Pets?

Pets are still a fairly recent addition, and they're part of a game that changes frequently. A few players are sharing that they've received a survey that gauges how people think about pet mechanics and pricing, which could possibly indicate that the developer's strategy are remain subject to change. But if Fortnite shoes are any indication, companions likely will not get more affordable overall — instead, there may be a wider range of prices to shop.

Ultimately, while certain individuals are raging at Fortnite shop prices, others are experiencing only joy for their competitive pals.