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Some battle royale players are feeling disappointed, and this isn't because of the latest virtual happenings. Fortnite's newest limited-time event, which brings a Simpsons-themed map, has also rolled out a fresh feature called sidekicks. There's no deny that the latest pets are cute. But, the attached costs have made numerous fans shocked at this developer's efforts to monetize almost each part of the gaming experience.

What Are Companion Pets?

Companions are essentially similar to Pokémon, though having some drawbacks. You can give them a name, and they will follow your character throughout a match. These sidekicks are indestructible, and players can interact with them. Other players outside the player's party are unable to view sidekicks — and displaying your companions is perhaps half the fun of having them. Sidekicks are able to be customized with costumes and emotes, but the debate centers on their looks. Each pet's overall design can only be altered one time, at which point that choice becomes permanent. Players can choose a sidekick's coat color, secondary colors, iris tones, pattern, and their body type.

The Costly Customization Mechanism

Should a player afterward decide that you want your pet to appear slightly different, you cannot simply continue to modify the appearance. You have to buy a new sidekick. And, sidekicks aren't inexpensive. The majority of people are getting the banana-themed pet, since it is packaged in this season's battle pass. According to leaks, future pets may be priced at anywhere between 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. However, players can change the name of a sidekick as many times as they want.

Player Response and Parallels

Most sidekicks have not been officially launched so far, meaning the cost may easily be adjusted. But regardless of whether the developer makes companions more affordable, much of the frustration comes from the fact that players might have to pay for a one kind of pet more than once. To certain players, the pricing scheme seems especially unfair considering the game has previously added companions that ride around inside back blings. Backpack companions lack a customization limitation and can be seen by other players in the game. Back bling pets cannot be named or use emotes, but other players can sometimes engage with them — which is better than being invisible completely.

The absence of special features and limited engagement options have many players feeling disappointed. For instance, why is it not possible to a player, for example, play fetch with your fancy banana dog? Some 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 developer is squeezing players for money. Profit-driven is a word that's appearing often in such discussions, with a number of comparing pet pricing to similar aggressive pricing schemes in games like EA Sports FC. It also adds to the issue that certain sidekicks are expected to be pricier than equivalent outfit counterparts.

"We urge you to do not purchasing Companion Pets," urges a highly-voted community thread that advises other players to figuratively express disapproval by not spending.

"We understand they're cute," the post continues, "we realize they are fun. I know we have all been looking forward to them. However the greed on display is disgusting and must not be rewarded."

A Broader Context of Virtual Purchases

Over the past few years, the game's events and collaborations have expanded in scale and ambition, but the free-to-play game still must earn revenue. As such, the total quantity of items users can currently buy has grown almost overwhelming. In addition to standard items like back accessories, gliders, pickaxes, and gestures, you could potentially use cash on shoes, music tracks, instruments, Lego pieces, vehicles, wheels, vehicle drift colors, battle passes, and a membership. Sidekicks do not just cost payment, but also bring in a range of fresh monetization avenues for the company. It is likely, users will soon be in a position to spend for items like pet looks, costumes, gestures, and further engagement features.

Every one of these cosmetics are entirely voluntary and unneeded to enjoy the game, yet gear can nonetheless influence your community interactions. Kids, for example, sometimes face teasing for using flashy sufficiently cool skins. A similar situation previously occurred when the company launched licensed shoes, which may be priced from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. The shoe pricing scheme wasn't popular as well, and some fans vowed that they'd avoid succumb to the temptation at the time. However ultimately, purchasing footwear grew commonplace. Now, companion pets are additionally pushing the limits of what a gamer might be willing to pay to be distinctive amongst the crowd.

What is Ahead for Sidekicks?

Sidekicks are currently a relatively recent addition, and they're part of a game that changes regularly. Some players are sharing that they have gotten a survey that assesses how the community think about sidekick mechanics and pricing, and this might possibly mean that the developer's strategy are still fluid. But if the game footwear are a sign, sidekicks likely will not become more affordable in general — instead, there may be a wider range of costs to choose from.

After all, while some individuals are raging at the game item costs, others are experiencing only joy for their battle royale pals.