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Some battle royale players are feeling let down, and it's not because of the latest in-game happenings. The game's newest mini-season, that brings a Springfield map, also unveiled a brand-new mechanic known as pets. It's impossible to deny that the new companions are cute. But, the associated prices have left numerous players shocked at the developer's attempts to profit from nearly each part of the game.

What Are Sidekicks?

Sidekicks are basically like Pokémon, but with some limitations. You can give them a name, and these pets will follow you throughout a match. They are indestructible, and players can interact with them. Other gamers not in your party are unable to see these pets — and showing off your companions is perhaps half the enjoyment of having them. Sidekicks can be outfitted with costumes and gestures, however the debate centers on their appearance. A pet's overall appearance is only able to be altered one time, at which point that choice becomes permanent. Players can select a companion's coat color, secondary colors, eye colors, pattern, and its body type.

The Costly Customization Mechanism

If a player afterward choose that they'd like their pet to appear a bit different, it's not possible to simply further customize its appearance. You have to purchase a new companion. Furthermore, sidekicks aren't inexpensive. The majority of people are obtaining the banana-themed pet, since it's packaged in this season's reward track. Based on unofficial reports, future pets could 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 are $22.99. You can rename a sidekick as many times as you'd like.

Community Response and Parallels

Most pets have not been formally launched yet, so the cost may well change. Yet regardless of whether the developer makes sidekicks cheaper, much of the anger comes from the fact that players might have to spend for a one type of sidekick multiple times. To certain players, the cost structure seems especially unfair considering the developer has already added pets that are carried around as part of back blings. Backpack pets do not have a restriction on changes and can be seen by fellow players in the match. Back bling pets cannot be named or perform gestures, but other gamers are able to occasionally interact with them — which is better than being invisible altogether.

Lack of special features and restricted interaction choices have many players experiencing disappointed. Why can't a player, such as, play fetch with their fancy banana dog? A few note that companions do not always keep up with the user if a game is fast-paced, or mention that Peels occupies two slots in the reward system — and this supports the notion that the developer is squeezing the community for revenue. Greedy is a term that's appearing frequently in these conversations, with some likening sidekick monetization to similar intense pricing schemes in games like EA Sports FC. It also adds to the issue that some pets are expected to be pricier than equivalent outfit versions.

"We urge you to avoid purchasing Sidekicks," urges a popular online thread that encourages fellow players to figuratively express disapproval by not spending.

"We understand they're adorable," the post continues, "we realize they are fun. We are aware we have all been anticipating them. However the monetization focus being shown is disgusting and must not be supported."

A Broader Context of Virtual Spending

Over the past few years, the game's special occasions and collaborations have grown in scope and ambition, but the free-to-play title still must generate revenue. As such, the total number of cosmetics players are able to currently purchase has grown nearly overwhelming. In addition to basics like back blings, deployment tools, pickaxes, and gestures, you could potentially spend cash on shoes, songs, instruments, building blocks, cars, tires, vehicle drift colors, battle passes, and a membership. Sidekicks do not just cost money, and also bring in a host of fresh revenue options for the company. It is likely, users will before long be in a position to pay for items like pet looks, outfits, emotes, and additional interaction features.

Every one of such cosmetics are entirely voluntary and unneeded to enjoy the game, but gear can nonetheless affect a player's community experience. Kids, for instance, sometimes face teasing for not wearing impressive sufficiently cool skins. A comparable situation previously transpired when the developer introduced licensed kicks, which can range from 600 to 1,000 V-Bucks. That shoe cost model was not popular as well, and some players vowed that they'd avoid succumb to the pressure back then. But ultimately, purchasing shoes became commonplace. Today, companion pets are further testing the boundaries of how much a player could be prepared to pay to stand out amongst the crowd.

What is Next for Companion Pets?

Pets are still a fairly new addition, and they exist a game that updates frequently. Some fans are sharing that they've received a survey that gauges how people think about pet mechanics and monetization, and this might potentially mean that the developer's plans are remain subject to change. But if Fortnite footwear are a sign, companions probably will not become cheaper overall — there will just be a wider range of prices to choose from.

Ultimately, where some individuals are expressing anger at the game shop prices, others are feeling nothing but happiness for their battle royale friends.