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A number of battle royale enthusiasts are feeling let down, and it's not due to recent in-game events. Fortnite's newest mini-season, that introduces a Simpsons-themed map, also unveiled a fresh mechanic known as pets. There's no deny that the latest pets are cute. But, the associated costs have made many fans shocked at the company's attempts to monetize almost every part of the gaming experience.

Understanding Sidekicks?

Sidekicks are essentially similar to Pokémon, though with some drawbacks. Players can give them a name, and these pets will accompany you throughout a match. These sidekicks are indestructible, and players can pet them. Other players not in the player's party cannot see sidekicks — and displaying one's companions is arguably half the enjoyment of having them. Sidekicks can be outfitted with outfits and emotes, but the debate centers on their looks. A pet's overall design is only able to be altered one time, at which point that choice is final. Players can choose a companion's coat color, secondary colors, eye colors, markings, and its build size.

The Expensive Personalization Mechanism

If a player afterward choose that they'd like your pet to look slightly different, you cannot just further customize its appearance. Players must purchase another sidekick. Furthermore, these pets are not inexpensive. Most players are getting the banana-themed pet, because it is included in this season's battle pass. Based on unofficial reports, future sidekicks may cost 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. However, players can change the name of a sidekick whenever you'd like.

Player Response and Comparisons

Most pets haven't been officially launched yet, so the cost could well be adjusted. Yet even if the developer makes sidekicks more affordable, much of the anger stems from the reality that gamers could need to spend for a single type of sidekick multiple times. For some, the pricing scheme feels especially egregious considering the developer has already introduced pets that are carried about inside backpack accessories. Backpack pets lack a customization limitation and are visible by fellow players in the match. Backpack pets cannot be named or perform emotes, but opposing players are able to occasionally interact with them — and this is better than remaining unseen completely.

Lack of unique functions and limited interaction choices have many players feeling underwhelmed. Why can't a player, such as, play fetch with their stylish banana dog? A few note that companions sometimes fail to keep up with the player if a game is moving quickly, or observe that the banana pet occupies two slots in the reward system — and this reinforces the notion that the company is pressuring the community for revenue. Greedy is a word that's appearing frequently in these discussions, with a number of likening pet pricing to other intense monetization models in games like EA Sports FC. Additionally, it doesn't help that some sidekicks are expected to be pricier than their outfit versions.

"We urge you to do not purchasing Sidekicks," pleads one popular online post that advises fellow players to figuratively express disapproval by not spending.

"I know these pets are cute," the thread adds, "I know they're fun. We are aware everyone has been anticipating them. But the monetization focus on display is unacceptable and should not be rewarded."

A Bigger Picture of In-Game Spending

In recent years, the game's special occasions and partnerships have expanded in scale and ambition, yet the no-cost-to-start title continues to needs to earn revenue. As such, the sheer number of cosmetics users can now buy has grown almost excessive. In addition to standard items like back blings, gliders, pickaxes, and gestures, players might possibly use cash on shoes, music tracks, musical tools, Lego pieces, cars, tires, vehicle drift colors, seasonal rewards, and a membership. Sidekicks do not just require money, but also bring in a range of new monetization options for the company. Presumably, users will before long be in a position to pay for things like sidekick appearances, costumes, emotes, and further engagement features.

All of these customization items are entirely optional and not necessary to enjoy the game, but equipment can nonetheless affect your community experience. Kids, for example, sometimes face teasing for using impressive sufficiently cool skins. A similar issue also transpired when the company launched brand-name kicks, which can range from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. The shoe pricing scheme was not well received either, and some players promised that they'd avoid succumb to the temptation back then. However ultimately, purchasing footwear became normalized. Now, sidekicks are additionally pushing the limits of what a gamer could be prepared to spend to be distinctive amongst the player base.

What's Next for Sidekicks?

Pets are still a relatively new addition, and they exist a game that updates frequently. A few fans are reporting that they have gotten a questionnaire that assesses how people feel about pet mechanics and pricing, which could potentially mean that the developer's plans are still subject to change. But if the game shoes are a sign, companions likely will not get more affordable in general — there will just be a broader range of costs to shop.

After all, while certain individuals are expressing anger at the game shop prices, different players are feeling only joy for their new competitive pals.