Imagine jumping into your favorite battle royale game and having a loyal companion trotting beside you through every firefight, every build battle, and every Victory Royale. That dream is about to become reality for millions of Fortnite players worldwide. Epic Games just announced something that’s got the community buzzing with excitement: Sidekicks are coming to the island, and they’re bringing a whole new level of personality to the game.
Starting November 1, 2025, Fortnite players will be able to adopt their very own digital companions. These aren’t just simple cosmetics that sit on your back. Sidekicks are fully animated pet companions that will follow you around as you navigate through Battle Royale matches, build towering structures in Lego Fortnite, defend against zombie hordes in Save the World, or rock out in Fortnite Festival. Wherever your adventures take you, your Sidekick will be right there with you.
These adorable companions are launching alongside Fortnite’s next season, which is bringing The Simpsons to the island. Players who grab the Battle Pass will instantly unlock Peels, the game’s very first Sidekick. While Epic Games hasn’t revealed exactly what Peels looks like yet, the anticipation is building rapidly across social media and gaming forums.
But Peels is just the beginning of this furry revolution. On November 7, the Item Shop will welcome three more companions that veteran Fortnite players might recognize: Bonesy, Spike, and Lil’ Raptor. These names should ring a bell for longtime fans, as they’ve existed in the game before as Back Bling accessories. Now they’re getting upgraded to full fledged Sidekicks with their own animations and personality. Epic Games even threw in a bonus for loyal players who already own the Bonesy Back Bling. Those players will automatically receive the Bonesy Sidekick in their Lockers on November 7 at no extra cost
The studio also dropped a cryptic hint that sent cat lovers into a frenzy. They teased that “something for all the cat people out there” is coming later. Whether this means a feline Sidekick or an entire collection of cat themed companions remains to be seen, but the community is already speculating wildly about what adorable kitties might join the roster.
Now, before competitive players start worrying, Epic Games made it crystal clear that Sidekicks are purely cosmetic additions. These companions won’t give you any gameplay advantages. They can’t scout enemies, they won’t tank damage for you, and they definitely won’t help you build faster. Enemy players can’t hurt them either, so you won’t need to worry about protecting your digital friend during intense battles. They’re simply there to look cute and keep you company as you play.
The customization aspect is where things get interesting, and perhaps a bit controversial. Most Sidekicks can be customized once in your Locker after you obtain them. You’ll be able to change their Appearance, giving them different looks, colors, or styles. Sounds great, right? Here’s the catch: these customization choices are permanent. Once you lock in an Appearance, there’s no going back. Epic Games strongly encourages players to preview their choices carefully before confirming, because regret isn’t an option here.
This permanence creates an unusual situation. Let’s say you customize your Bonesy Sidekick to have a blue collar and later decide you’d prefer a red collar instead. You can’t just change it. Instead, you’d need to purchase another Bonesy Sidekick and customize that one with the red collar. Your blue collar Bonesy would remain in your Locker as a separate item. Epic Games confirmed this in their FAQ section, explaining that players can indeed purchase the same Sidekick multiple times and give each one a different Appearance. However, each customization must be unique. You can’t have duplicate Appearances sitting in your Locker.
This system is reminiscent of NFT style uniqueness, where each customized Sidekick becomes a one of a kind item in your collection. Some players appreciate this exclusivity, while others feel it’s a way to encourage multiple purchases of the same companion. The community reaction has been mixed, with excitement about the feature itself tempered by concerns about the monetization strategy.
The November 1 launch date coincides with the end of Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 4 and the beginning of The Simpsons themed season. Players can expect a live event to mark this transition, and Sidekicks will be part of the fresh content drop that keeps the game feeling new and exciting.
So, if you are planning to get in on the hype, this is what you should do – Grab the Battle Pass to unlock Peels immediately, then decide which additional Sidekicks from the Shop appeal to you. Think carefully about how you want to customize them, because that decision will be permanent. And if you’re a cat person, maybe hold off on spending all your V Bucks, because something special might be coming your way soon.
