Fortnite Fans Outraged Over Sidekicks Pricing
▼ Summary
– Sidekicks in Fortnite’s Simpsons season face community backlash over accusations of greedy microtransaction practices.
– Customization is permanent after initial selection, requiring players to purchase additional Sidekicks for different appearances.
– Opponents cannot see Sidekicks during matches, limiting their visibility to only squadmates.
– Leaked information suggests upcoming Sidekicks may cost as much as 2,800 V-Bucks each, which players consider expensive.
– Epic Games is surveying players about these controversial features while the community expresses concerns about worsening predatory pricing trends.
The introduction of customizable pets, known as Sidekicks, into Fortnite’s current Simpsons-themed season has ignited a firestorm of player anger and accusations of corporate greed. What initially appeared to be a fun addition allowing players to personalize a companion has quickly devolved into a contentious debate over pricing and restrictive features, prompting calls for a community-wide boycott.
Players have identified three primary grievances with the new system. First, the customization process for a Sidekick is a one-time, permanent decision. Once a player selects attributes like size or color for a pet, such as the banana dog named Peels from the battle pass, those choices cannot be altered later. The only way to achieve a different look is to purchase an entirely new copy of the same Sidekick. Second, the visibility of these companions is limited; only a player’s own squad can see them, making them invisible to opponents and reducing their perceived value. Finally, leaked information suggests that future Sidekicks will carry a steep price tag, with some estimates reaching a staggering 2,800 V-Bucks per pet.
Community feedback has been vocal and overwhelmingly negative. One player on the Fortnite subreddit, Mabdog420, articulated a common sentiment, arguing that failing to challenge these practices would only encourage more aggressive monetization strategies from Epic Games in the future. The player cited a history of the developer testing the waters with controversial changes, such as reducing experience point gains, which the community has had to collectively resist.
Adding fuel to the fire, Epic Games has begun circulating user surveys to gauge player opinion on the Sidekicks system ahead of their full shop release. One survey question directly asks players how they feel about being forced to buy an additional copy of a Sidekick simply to change its appearance. The vast majority of respondents are reportedly selecting “Strongly Dislike,” expressing disbelief that anyone would support such a mechanic.
However, some community members are skeptical that a boycott will succeed, pointing to past cosmetic additions like shoes that are barely visible to other players yet still generate significant sales. This pattern of players purchasing items with limited in-game visibility makes some doubt the community’s collective willpower to enact change. One commenter noted they still consider the shoe cosmetics a bigger scam than the current Sidekicks controversy.
The situation has left long-time fans feeling disillusioned. One veteran player compared the experience to a slow, depressing decline, where the player base must constantly fight for fair treatment from the developer. They described the current state of the game as settling for “plain oatmeal” simply because it remains slightly better than alternatives, a tiring reality that sours the relationship between a beloved game and its community.
(Source: Kotaku)
