Epic Games has introduced a new category of cosmetics called Fortnite Sidekicks. They're essentially pets that follow the player around in various modes, including Battle Royale, LEGO Fortnite, Save the World, Fortnite Festival (though they'll remain backstage), and even user-made experiences (though only if the creator has enabled them).
They won't provide any gameplay advantages, so their only real perk is looking cute. They do, however, react to the surrounding world, and players can interact with them through special Sidekick Emotes. The first one to be introduced to the game is Peels, a 'banana dog', which will be available to be unlocked via the Battle Pass starting tomorrow. Bonesy (which will be granted to owners of the Bonesy Back Bling), Spike, and Lil’ Raptor will go live next Friday, and Epic also teased that there will soon be something for the many cat lovers out there.
It sounds like yet another idea that will earn Epic a lot of money, especially because they are locking repeated customization beyond multiple purchases of the same pet. That's right: you may only customize the physical traits of Fortnite Sidekicks once. If you purchase it multiple times, you can give it separate Appearances, which must be unique (duplicate Appearances are not allowed).
Needless to say, some Fortnite players have already criticized this choice as a blatant way to extract more money from the user base. It is especially lamentable, since younger players may well be among the most interested in this kind of cosmetic customization. That said, Epic does allow you to change the Sidekick's name and accessories at any time, and you can also earn hats and hoodies by hanging out with your pet and using your Sidekick Points.
The current Fortnite season, Shock 'N Awesome, will end tomorrow at 8:30 AM Pacific Time/11:30 AM Eastern Time/4:30 PM Central European Time. The downtime is expected to last around two to three hours, after which Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 5, which is known to be themed around The Simpsons, will go live.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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