Fortnite’s Controversial Pet Customization Policies Under Review

Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, has recently sent out a user survey in response to the gaming community’s discontent over the restrictions imposed on players regarding the customization of their in-game pets, specifically the Sidekicks. The game currently demands players to choose the color, shape, and style of their pets during the initial use, thereby making any further changes impossible. Currently, the game provides only one Sidekick, a mashup of a dog and a banana called Peels, as part of Fortnite’s The Simpsons battle pass. Players have three options for skin color, two shapes for the ear, and two body styles for this pet, all of which become permanent decisions once selected. Every Sidekick features its own minimal battle pass providing aesthetic add-ons, on the other hand, the base design options, once selected, remain fixed.nFortnite has planned to add more Sidekicks, available through the in-game store from November 7, bringing in pet options ranging from other dog species to a dinosaur, and even a Fishstick fish enclosed within a bubble. These extras will cost players anywhere between 1,200 to 1,500 V-Bucks ($10-$14) and are supposed to present multiple permanent cosmetic alternatives. As such, owning the full collection would entail purchasing multiple versions of each pet.nIn response to the user backlash following this decision, Epic Games released the aforementioned survey which tackled the inflexible customization system associated with the Sidekicks, thereby providing players with a quiet reassurance that this issue is under re-evaluation. The survey included questions related to the user’s perception of the Sidekick’s cosmetics, the extent of their understanding of the customization restrictions, and their feelings towards having to make separate purchases of the same Sidekick for different aesthetics.nWhile some players see this model as an adoption of a pet from a pet shop – a unique design to which they can develop a connection over time, others view the imposed cost as unnecessarily high. This debate runs parallel with another in-game item similar to Sidekicks in terms of cost, the digital shoes known as ‘Kicks’. These items often cost upwards of 1,000 V-Bucks for specially licensed designs, not to mention the need to purchase multiple pairs for various color schemes.nHowever, certain players argue that the Sidekicks should feature a customization process akin to character skins, similar to the flexibility granted to Pets, an earlier addition to the game. The launch of Sidekicks was met with mixed reviews, inciting dissatisfied players to initiate reddit threads and social media posts dissuading others from purchasing more of these in the upcoming sale. Despite the disgruntled responses, the future of Fortnite’s Sidekicks is yet to be determined, with the results of the recent user survey and upcoming sales potentially influencing Epic Games’ ultimate decision.