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Some Fortnite players are feeling let down, and it's not due to the latest virtual events. Fortnite's current limited-time event, which brings a Simpsons-themed world, also rolled out a brand-new feature called pets. There's no ignore that the new companions are adorable. However, the associated costs have left numerous players stunned at the company's efforts to profit from almost every part of the gaming experience.

Understanding Companion Pets?

Companions are essentially similar to Pokémon, though having a few limitations. You can name them, and these pets will follow your character during a game. They are indestructible, and you can pet them. Other players not in the player's party are unable to see sidekicks — and showing off one's animal friends is arguably a big part of the fun of owning them. Sidekicks can be customized with outfits and gestures, but the controversy revolves around their looks. Each pet's overall appearance can only be changed one time, after which that choice becomes final. You can choose a companion's coat color, secondary colors, eye colors, markings, and their build size.

The Expensive Personalization Mechanism

If a player afterward decide that they'd like your sidekick to look a bit different, you cannot just continue to customize its look. You have to buy another companion. Furthermore, sidekicks are not inexpensive. The majority of players are obtaining the banana-themed pet, since it is included with the current battle pass. According to leaks, upcoming sidekicks could cost from 1,000 to 1,500 V-Bucks; for reference, 1,000 V-Bucks is priced at $8.99 and 2,800 V-Bucks are $22.99. You can rename a companion whenever they want.

Community Response and Parallels

Most sidekicks haven't been formally released so far, so the pricing could easily change. Yet regardless of whether the developer makes companions more affordable, much of the frustration stems from the fact that players could have to spend for a one type of pet multiple times. For some, the cost structure feels particularly egregious when the game has previously added pets that are carried about inside backpack accessories. Back bling pets lack a restriction on changes and are visible by other players in the game. Back bling pets can't be given a name or perform emotes, but other gamers are able to occasionally interact with them — which is more favorable than being invisible altogether.

The absence of unique functions and restricted engagement choices have many gamers feeling underwhelmed. Why can't a player, such as, play fetch with your fancy banana dog? A few point out that sidekicks sometimes fail to keep up with the user if a match is fast-paced, or observe that Peels takes up two spots in the reward system — and this supports the idea that the company is pressuring players for money. Profit-driven is a term that's coming up frequently in such discussions, with a number of comparing sidekick monetization to other intense pricing schemes in titles like popular sports games. Additionally, it adds to the issue that some pets are projected to be more expensive than their character skin versions.

"PLEASE do not buy Sidekicks," urges one popular community post that advises other gamers to proverbially express disapproval by not spending.

"We understand they're adorable," the thread adds, "we realize they're enjoyable. We are aware we have all been looking forward to them. But the greed being shown is disgusting and should not be rewarded."

A Bigger Picture of Virtual Purchases

In recent years, the game's events and partnerships have grown in scale and ambition, but the no-cost-to-start title continues to must generate revenue. As such, the sheer number of items players are able to now purchase has become almost excessive. In addition to standard items like back blings, gliders, pickaxes, and emotes, you could possibly use cash on shoes, music tracks, instruments, building blocks, cars, tires, custom paint jobs, battle passes, and a subscription. Sidekicks not only cost money, and also introduce a host of fresh revenue avenues for the company. Presumably, players will before long be in a position to spend for things like sidekick appearances, outfits, gestures, and further interaction options.

All of these customization items are completely optional and not necessary to have fun with the experience, but equipment can still influence your community interactions. Kids, for instance, sometimes face bullying for not wearing impressive sufficiently cool outfits. A similar situation also transpired when the developer launched licensed shoes, which can range from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. The shoe cost model wasn't popular either, and some fans promised that they wouldn't fall prey to the temptation back then. But ultimately, buying footwear became normalized. Today, companion pets are further testing the limits of what a player could be prepared to spend to stand out within the player base.

What's Next for Companion Pets?

Pets are still a fairly recent feature, and they exist a title that changes frequently. A few fans are sharing that they have gotten a questionnaire that assesses how the community think about pet mechanics and pricing, and this might potentially mean that the developer's plans are remain fluid. Yet if Fortnite shoes are any indication, sidekicks probably won't become more affordable overall — there will just be a wider selection of costs to shop.

After all, while some individuals are raging at the game shop prices, others are feeling only joy for their new battle royale pals.