What Are Sidekicks?
Fortnite has introduced Sidekicks, a new class of pet companions that accompany players through a match on PS5 and PS4. These pet pals resemble evolved versions of the animated backblings you may remember from years past, but with in-match utility and personality that prompts a fresh approach to combat and exploration. Sidekicks are designed to accompany you from landing to the final circle, reacting to action and offering a little extra flair to your character.
How They Work in Practice
Sidekicks are not just cosmetic. Each pet pal has distinct behaviors, sounds, and on-screen cues that can provide subtle information about your surroundings. While they don’t attack enemies directly, they can offer distractions, draw a foe’s attention, or highlight nearby loot and objectives in certain scenarios. The exact balance between utility and distraction is part of what players will want to test as they experiment with different Sidekicks.
Reception and Practical Considerations
The idea of pet companions in Fortnite has a long lineage, tracing back to animated backblings that fans enjoyed. Sidekicks take that concept forward by preserving the charm while adding in-match visibility that players will need to manage. A common early concern is whether Sidekicks might reveal your location or block line-of-sight during heated moments. Players will want to decide on a case-by-case basis whether a particular pet pal’s presence enhances their play or becomes a hindrance in dense gunfights. It’s likely many players will opt to customize or disable Sidekicks in high-stakes scenarios to keep the focus on core combat play.
Strategic Tips for Using Sidekicks
If you’re curious about maximizing the benefit of Sidekicks without compromising stealth, consider the following tips:
- Test each Sidekick in private matches to learn its quirks and cues before taking it into ranked or competitive modes.
- Use Sidekicks to bait or distract opponents in crowded areas, but be mindful of visibility in high-traffic zones like Authority or Pleasant Park.
- Coordinate with your team. A pet pal can serve as a friendly marker, signaling safe routes or loot hotspots when communication channels are limited.
- Switch them off in situations where line-of-sight is critical, such as tight-close combat or peak fight moments where any extra object on screen could obscure vision.
- Pair Sidekicks with loadouts that emphasize positioning and map awareness to offset any potential distraction value.
Impact on the Meta
Adding Sidekicks could subtly reshape how players approach looting, rotations, and engagement. If the pet pals prove to offer meaningful utility without becoming overly distracting, they may become a staple for casual players seeking personality and for creators exploring new gameplay narratives. For competitive players, the option to disable Sidekicks will be a key feature, ensuring that high-level play remains unaffected by cosmetic or novelty elements.
Where to Find and How to Enable
Sidekicks are available on PS5 and PS4 through the in-game store and are equipped via a simple customization menu. New players can begin with a starter Sidekick to learn the basics, while seasoned veterans can experiment with rarer variants that offer different auditory cues and behaviors. Epic Games has emphasized that Sidekicks are designed to complement, not complicate, the Fortnite experience, with ongoing updates and tweaks based on player feedback.
Verdict
Fortnite’s Sidekicks add a layer of personality and strategic potential to a familiar formula. For some, they’ll be delightful companions that infuse matches with humor and distraction in equal measure. For others, they may be a casual toggle to avoid any potential clutter in the heat of battle. Either way, Sidekicks prove Epic Games’ willingness to push the interface and gameplay experience in new, characterful directions for PS5 and PS4 players.
