Fortnite is now polling fans over unpopular pet restrictions that require you to repurchase companions just to change their fur color
Blog Andrew Joseph 05 Nov , 2025 0
fortnite Developer Epic Games has released a new user survey polling players about the pet-like Sidekicks, specifically whether they'll need to repurchase each creature to get another version after the base design choice becomes permanent.
Currently, Fortnite forces fans to lock in the body color, shape, and style of their Sidekick upon first use, and warns players that their decision cannot be changed again.
Currently, there's only one Sidekick animal available – banana dog hybrid Peels, and you can get both in Fortnite's current Simpsons Battle Pass. When you first outfit your dog, you have to choose from three banana skin colors (yellow, chartreuse, or mottled), ear shape (pointed, not-so-pointed, flat) and body type (slender or stocky).
Each Sidekick has since also come with its own mini-battle pass and cosmetic add-ons (Peels have an emote that dances with maracas, as well as some shirt options that can be equipped at will). But the creature's basic design choices are indeed no longer changeable, leaving players who want to experiment with other body options to seek out individual peel incarnations to change from scratch.
Later this week, on November 7, a series of additional Sidekicks will be available separately via the Fortnite in-game store, and upcoming creatures will include more dog breeds, dinosaurs, and even rod fish in bubbles. Each will cost 1,200 or 1,500 V-Bucks (approximately $10 to $14), and each is expected to come with numerous permanent appearance options, with fans having to purchase multiple versions to own them all.
Amid the backlash to the decision, Epic Games sent out a new user survey to Fortnite players (myself included) specifically asking for feedback on Sidekicks' permanent customization mechanic – giving some fans a glimmer of hope that the whole thing is being rethought.
“What do you think of Sidekicks cosmetics?” one question. “Did you know that Sidekick has some basic functionality that you can only customize once after declaring the Sidekick (such as its color and shape?” asked another. Then:
“How do you feel about having to purchase additional copies of the same Sidekick if you want to customize your Sidekick with different base features?” asks the third question, with a variety of response options ranging from “strongly dislike” to “strongly like.”
Some fans have said that Epic Games originally envisioned purchasing Sidekicks as being like adopting a creature from a pet store—over time (and as you unlocked their battle pass), you would resonate with the specific design. Others have also said that the pricing here, while high, is no different from Fortnite's critically acclaimed Kicks (digital shoes), which often cost up to 1,000 V-Bucks for licensed designs and often require players to buy multiple copies to get different colors. (About a dozen pairs of nearly identical digital Crocs exist in the game, and each pair must be purchased separately.)
But others have compared Sidekicks to the high degree of customizability of many character skins – and indeed the color options available for Fortnite's more basic pets, which were introduced early in the game and can be customized at will.
Of course, the broad response to Sidekicks' design limitations has resonated. Far from being a fun new cosmetic type – one that could be hugely profitable when licensed sidekicks like Grogu and Stitch arrive – their soft launch via Peels has only sparked positive sentiment, but various Reddit threads and social media posts are now encouraging other players not to buy more when it goes on sale later this week.
Will Epic Games change course? Time will tell, though the answers to that survey (and updated sales from stores this week) may play a role.
Tom Phillips is IGN's news editor. You can contact Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social