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A number of battle royale enthusiasts are experiencing disappointed, and this isn't because of recent in-game happenings. Fortnite's current mini-season, which brings a Simpsons-themed map, has also rolled out a fresh mechanic known as pets. There's no deny that the new companions are adorable. However, the associated costs have made many players stunned at this company's efforts to monetize nearly each part of the game.

Understanding Companion Pets?

Sidekicks are basically like digital creatures, but with a few drawbacks. You can give them a name, and they will follow your character throughout a game. They are indestructible, and you can pet them. Other players outside the player's squad are unable to see sidekicks — and showing off your companions is perhaps a big part of the fun of having them. Sidekicks are able to be outfitted with costumes and emotes, however the controversy centers on their appearance. A pet's main design is only able to be altered one time, at which point that selection is final. You can select a companion's coat color, accent hues, iris tones, pattern, and their build size.

A Costly Customization System

If a player afterward decide that they'd like your pet to appear a bit different, it's not possible to simply continue to modify its appearance. You have to purchase a new sidekick. Furthermore, these pets aren't cheap. The majority of people are obtaining the banana-themed sidekick, because it is included with this season's reward track. Based on leaks, future pets may 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 cost $22.99. You can rename a sidekick as many times as they want.

Player Response and Parallels

The majority of pets have not been formally released so far, so the pricing may well be adjusted. Yet even if the company sets companions cheaper, a lot of the anger stems from the fact that gamers could have to pay for a single type of pet more than once. For some, the cost structure feels particularly unfair considering the developer has already added companions that are carried about as part of backpack accessories. Backpack pets do not have a restriction on changes and can be seen by other players in the match. Backpack pets cannot be named or perform gestures, however other gamers are able to occasionally interact with them — and this is more favorable than being invisible altogether.

Lack of unique features and restricted engagement options have numerous gamers experiencing disappointed. Why can't a player, for example, interact playfully with your stylish fruit-themed pet? A few note 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 spots in the reward system — and this reinforces the notion that the developer is squeezing the community for revenue. Profit-driven is a term that's appearing often in such discussions, with a number of comparing sidekick pricing to similar aggressive pricing schemes in games like EA Sports FC. It also adds to the issue that certain pets are expected to be pricier than equivalent character skin versions.

"PLEASE avoid buy Companion Pets," urges one highly-voted community thread that advises fellow players to figuratively express disapproval by not spending.

"We understand these pets are adorable," the thread adds, "I know they are enjoyable. We are aware everyone has been anticipating them. But the greed being shown is unacceptable and should not be rewarded."

A Bigger Context of In-Game Spending

In recent years, the game's special occasions and collaborations have grown in scale and aspiration, yet the no-cost-to-start title continues to must earn revenue. Therefore, the total number of cosmetics players are able to now purchase has grown nearly overwhelming. Beyond standard items like back blings, deployment tools, pickaxes, and gestures, you could potentially use cash on shoes, music tracks, instruments, building blocks, vehicles, tires, vehicle drift colors, seasonal rewards, and a subscription. Sidekicks do not just cost money, and also introduce a host of new revenue avenues for the company. Presumably, players will soon be able to pay for items like pet looks, costumes, gestures, and additional engagement options.

Every one of these cosmetics are completely optional and not necessary to have fun with the game, but gear can nonetheless affect your community experience. Younger players, for example, at times encounter bullying for using impressive sufficiently cool skins. A comparable issue also occurred when the company introduced brand-name shoes, which can range from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. That shoe pricing scheme wasn't well received as well, and some players promised that they'd avoid succumb to the temptation at the time. However in the end, purchasing footwear grew commonplace. Now, companion pets are additionally pushing the limits of how much a gamer could be willing to pay to stand out within the player base.

What's Next for Sidekicks?

Sidekicks are still a relatively new addition, and they're part of a game that changes regularly. Some fans are sharing that they have gotten a questionnaire that gauges how people think about sidekick functionality and pricing, and this might possibly mean that the developer's plans are still fluid. But if Fortnite footwear are a sign, sidekicks likely will not become cheaper in general — instead, there may be a wider selection of costs to shop.

After all, while certain players are raging at Fortnite shop prices, others are feeling nothing but happiness for their new battle royale pals.