The post Age of Empires IV on PlayStation 5 and Dynasties of the East – Available Now! appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Category: Video Games
Out on PS VR2 this month: VRacer Hoverbike, Audio Trip, Roboquest VR, Shadowgate VR: The Mines of Mythrok
Hello again PlayStation gamers.
We just wrapped the very first Flat2VR Studios event focused on our upcoming PlayStation VR2 games. Over the course of the event we highlighted some of your favorite developers, shared behind-the-scenes stories, and most importantly announced what’s next from our studio.
And what’s next is a month that is absolutely packed with content. Two brand new titles were revealed for PlayStation VR2, four are launching throughout November (starting with one you can play today), and one of the most anticipated shooters in VR finally has a launch date.
So let’s kick things off with the first big drop. VRacer Hoverbike is out today on PS VR2, giving you the chance to climb onto a futuristic hoverbike and hit the track.
VRacer Hoverbike – available today
Start your engines PS VR2 gamers, VRacer Hoverbike is here. A native arcade racer built for VR, it captures the pure sensation of speed inside a headset. Every turn is controlled by leaning your body, matching the movement of your bike on screen, so the rush feels intuitive and physical without any motion sickness.
With 30 tracks, multiple game modes, and online cross-platform multiplayer, there’s plenty to master. And thanks to PS VR2 features like HDR visuals, adaptive triggers, and headset rumble, every race is sharper, smoother, and more immersive than ever. After years of refinement since its initial debut, VRacer Hoverbike has finally found its perfect track on PlayStation.
Audio Trip – coming November 11
Revealed today for the very first time on PS VR2, Audio Trip turns your play space into your own personal dance floor. Every move is handcrafted by a professional choreographer, so when you catch gems, glide along ribbons, or smash drums, it all flows perfectly with the music. Nothing is randomized or auto-generated. It feels like you’re dancing inside the song.
With more than 120 levels across 32 tracks, plus playlists, cardio routines, and achievements to chase, there’s always a new way to play. And if that’s not enough, the built-in choreography editor lets the community create and share routines, keeping the library fresh with fan-made content.
On PS VR2, the game takes advantage of HDR, headset rumble, and eye-tracked foveated rendering to keep visuals sharp and the beat immersive. Whether you’re here for fitness, flow-state dancing, or just to nail the moves to “Gangnam Style,” Audio Trip delivers rhythm gameplay at its most creative.
Roboquest VR – launching November 20
One of the biggest VR shooters of the year is finally locked in. Roboquest VR arrives on PS VR2 this November 20, bringing its fast-paced roguelite action to the headset in full force. Step into the role of a Guardian and tear through swarms of enemy machines in a scorched future world built for chaos and experimentation.
With more than 70 weapons to discover, every run is a new chance to unleash something wild. Dual-wield pistols for slick takedowns, charge up rocket blasts, or jump fists-first into melee with high-speed strikes. Levels shift each time you play, keeping the challenge fresh and the action relentless.
Roboquest has been fully rebuilt for VR, featuring manual reloading, interactive weapon handling, and future co-op support. On PS VR2, you’ll feel every shot and impact through adaptive triggers, refined controller haptics, headset rumble, HDR visuals, and eye-tracked foveated rendering. This is the Roboquest experience players have been waiting for, and it is almost here.
Shadowgate VR: The Mines of Mythrok
Shadowgate has a long history on PlayStation, appearing across generations as one of gaming’s most iconic first-person adventures. Now the series steps into a new era with its debut on PS VR2.
Shadowgate VR: The Mines of Mythrok takes players deep into a lost dwarven kingdom, armed with a wand and shield to master elemental magic, solve ancient puzzles, and face towering guardians. Guided by Odin, your sharp-tongued raven companion, you’ll ride breakneck minecarts, outwit deadly traps, and uncover secrets hidden far beneath the stone.
On PS VR2, the adventure gains a new level of immersion with eye-tracked spellcasting, adaptive triggers, Sense controller haptics, headset rumble, and 120Hz performance with no reprojection. It’s the classic dungeon crawl reimagined for virtual reality, and it arrives November 25.
Rager
Today’s show also brought a brand-new reveal for PS VR2: Rager. This is a far cry from your typical rhythm game. Instead of chasing notes, you’ll clash with robotic foes in short, high-intensity duels, face cinematic boss encounters, and fight your way up the online leaderboards. Every battle is designed to be replayed, fast and furious.
The game features twelve handcrafted stages and three massive bosses, all powered by a pounding original soundtrack that mixes darksynth, metalstep, war drums, drum and bass, and more. On PS VR2, the action will hit even harder with headset rumble and haptic feedback that sells every strike. Rager is built to get your blood pumping, and it’s coming to PlayStation next year.
For the gamers
That’s a wrap! We created this event to celebrate PlayStation VR players. Your passion and support continue to inspire us, and we’re excited to keep bringing new experiences to PS VR2.
Humble Choice for November 2025 Is Now Live

A new Humble Choice lineup becomes available on the first Tuesday of each month. That means November’s Humble Choice is now available for $14.99. This month, members get eight PC games with a total MSRP of $254, including Total War: Warhammer 3, Etrian Odyssey HD, and more. Read on for the full list and all the details.
Humble Choice November 2025 Game Lineup
All eight PC games are delivered in the form of Steam codes. It’s a solid lineup of titles, representing a wide variety of genres. That means there’s something for everyone, and some off-the-beaten-path games you might not normally buy, but now you get them without having to pay anywhere near full price. Here’s the full list of games included in the November 2025 Humble Choice, with blurbs from the press release.
- Total War Warhammer III: A grand-scale strategy game where fantasy armies battle daemonic forces in the Realm of Chaos.
- Another Crab’s Treasure: A Soulslike adventure where a hermit crab fights enemies using trash as makeshift shells.
- Pharaoh: A New Era: A 4K remake of the classic city-builder where you manage resources, appease gods, and build magnificent monuments in Ancient Egypt.
- Etrian Odyssey HD: A first-person dungeon crawler focused on creating a party and mapping a dangerous labyrinth.
- No More Heroes 3: A stylish hack-and-slash game where an assassin fights alien superheroes in over-the-top battles.
- Synergy: A sci-fi city-builder about building a sustainable human settlement on a harsh alien planet.
- Spin Hero: A roguelike RPG where combat and progression are determined by spinning a slot machine.
- Paleo Pines: A cozy farming sim where you run a ranch, explore an island, and befriend dinosaurs.
The biggest game in here is probably the strategy game Total War: Warhammer III, which we gave a 9/10 in our review. It’s a huge blockbuster PC game with many dozens of potential hours of play time. Another Crab’s Treasure is a surprisingly accessible Soulslike game that got an 8/10 in our review. And Etrian Odyssey HD is a personal favorite, a remaster of a Nintendo DS dungeon crawler that has you draw the map as you explore.
Anyone interested in relaxing farm sims can try out Paleo Pines, while No More Heroes 3 offers fast-paced action. There’s plenty here to try, and any one of these games is worth the $14.99 asking price all on its own. Getting the whole bundle for that price is a killer deal.
As always with Humble Choice, a membership gets you a month of IGN Plus as an added bonus, as well as access to more than 50 DRM-free games in the Humble Vault. You also get a discount on Humble Store purchases, with bigger discounts the longer you keep your membership active.
Finally, 5% of each Humble Choice membership goes to charity. This month’s charity is No Kid Hungry, which seems like a particularly timely choice. It works to make sure kids across the country have reliable access to healthy meals.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
Save $60 Off the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Console Bundle by Getting an Import Model

If you still haven’t yet picked up a Nintendo Switch 2 because it’s too expensive, there is an opportunity to get one at a discounted price. AliExpress is offering a Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World console bundle for just $442.72 (normally $500) after you apply a $100 off coupon code “AEUS100” during checkout. It ships free locally from the United States (which means no tariffs and no obnoxiously long wait times).
Note that the console is a Hong Kong import. All international Switch consoles are region unlocked, meaning they can be used in the US without any problems and without any modification. You’ll also be able to select English as your default language. This specific model will come with a Hong Kong style plug, but a US adapter is included. Imported consoles do not get a US-based Nintendo warranty. Fortunately, Aliexpress offers a generous 90-day free return window.
Nintendo Switch 2 with Mario Kart World for $442.72
Brand new, genuine, imported, region unlocked units
The Switch 2 console was released on June 5. It is backwards compatible with nearly all Switch 2 games as well as the original Joy-Cons and Switch Pro controller, although the new Switch 2 controllers offer more functionality. In his Nintendo Switch 2 review, Tom Marks sums up the Switch 2 as “a vital but unexciting upgrade to a console I already love.”
Three major Switch 2 video games have been released: Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Logan Plant reviewed Mario Kart World and wrote that “Mario Kart World may not make the most convincing case that going open-world was the boost the series needed, but excellent multiplayer racing, incredible polish, and the thrilling new Knockout Tour mode still more than live up to its legacy.” Mario Kart World currently sells for $79 if purchased separately.
Not only did we rate Donkey Kong a 10/10, it’s the only game we’ve given a Masterpiece rating so far this year. In his Donkey Kong Bananza review, Logan Plant writes that “The leader of the bunch is finally back to kick some tail in Donkey Kong Bananza, a brilliant successor to Super Mario Odyssey and a smashing return for a classic Nintendo character.”
Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the latest first party release and although it’s also available for the original Switch, it’s clearly Switch 2 optimized. In her Pokemon Legends: Z-A review, Rebekah Valentine wrote that “Pokemon Legends: Z-A finally feels like Game Freak hitting its stride in Pokemon’s 3D era, with a fun setting to explore, a well-written story, and a total battle system overhaul that works surprisingly well.”
Kirby Air Riders Is Out on November 20
Following the Nintendo Direct on August 19, Kirby Air Riders for the Switch 2 went up for preorder on the Nintendo eShop for $69.99, or $10 less than the Mario racing sim. Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco, the same team behind Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, as well as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, has teamed up to make this game, setting expectations high. Besides the obvious graphical improvements, gameplay changes, and track additions compared to the original Kirby Air Ride way back in 2003 for the Gamecube, other updates include an expanded roster that includes Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede, Chef Kawasaki, and Bandana Waddle Dee, more abilities, and more copy moves.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
Nintendo UK’s Holiday Switch 2 Ads Are Another Raye Of Sunshine
This is the Raye.
Holiday season is almost upon us (this writer’s local supermarket rolled out the advent calendars weeks ago), and Nintendo UK is equally keen to spread some festive cheer with its new TV ads.
This year’s offering once again puts the record-breaking singer-songwriter star Raye front and centre, showing that even Brit-winners like to let off some steam with a few rounds of Mario Party Jamboree.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Nice Day for Fishing: Creating the World of Epic NPC Man’s Azerim
Summary
- Learn how the world of Azerim was created, inspired by Epic NPC Man’s YouTube series.
- Discover some of the development team’s favorite gear to use in the game.
- Nice Day for Fishing is available today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.
Our pixel fishing adventure Nice Day for Fishing lands finally lands on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC today, and we’re really excited to be able to share on how it was made.
The story follows Baelin, the town’s humble fisherman. When a vast number of evils are released from a cursed magical chest and everyone but the NPCs vanish! (thanks a lot Baradun!) Baelin suddenly awakens with the powers of an Adventurer. Now it’s up to him to save Honeywood the only way he knows how – by fishing!
Building the World of Azerim
When we started designing the world of Azerim — the world in which Nice Day for Fishing takes place — we went deep into the Epic NPC Man universe, literally and creatively! We watched countless Viva La Dirt League videos, searching for iconic landmarks that every fan would recognize, even when reimagined in pixel art.
If you haven’t heard of Viva La Dirt League before, you’re missing out. The New Zealand comedy group creates clever, high-production sketches on YouTube that celebrate the fun, and the sometimes-absurd side, of gaming. Their videos dive into everything from the questionable logic in The Witcher, to tongue-in-cheek public service announcements for Hearthstone players. What makes them stand out is their background of being gamers themselves. They understand the meta-moments and inside jokes, the glitches and weird NPC behaviors everyone recognizes. Their long-running series Epic NPC Man is set inside a fictitious MMORPG game world Skycraft and covers the unseen lives of NPCs — from navigating player induced chaos, petty rivalries or that existential dread in hearing the NPC with one repeating voice line.

With incredible support from the VLDL team and their community, we gathered tons of reference material from maps, environmental notes, and even hints about regions that might appear in future episodes. We also thought about what makes for great fishing locations in general and matched those ideas to the Epic NPC Man world. A volcano? Sounds hot (and maybe a little dangerous.) A magical library turned slimy fish-infested ruin? That had to be in. And of course, The Undead Mines, because every fantasy world needs undead (fish).
We also wanted to bring fans to places that were only talked about in the show but never shown. Translating such a rich world into a 2D sidescroller, and dividing it into 12 underwater regions, was a challenge, but one that sparked endless creativity as we dove deeper into the lore of Azerim.
At the heart of it all lies Honeywood Village, complete with the original music from the VLDL videos. Seeing the Azerim map come to life in side-view, piece by piece, was both a challenge and a rewarding world-building experience.
Battles Beneath the Surface
When you think “fishing game,” you probably imagine a simple minigame. We didn’t want that. Nice Day for Fishing takes the act of fishing and turns it into a full-blown RPG-style battle system.

Once a fish bites, combat begins! Players attack with a button press, dealing damage and pulling the fish closer to the surface. But beware — these aren’t your average fish. They’ll fight back, reverse the line, and force you into a defensive stance. You’ll need to time your attacks, blocks, and spell casts while managing items and cooldowns — because even the fish have tricks up their fins.
Our goal was to make every battle feel like an epic encounter, not just a quick catch. You’ll see health bars, stamina meters, damage numbers, buffs, debuffs, and magic spells — everything you’d expect in a fantasy RPG.

And then there are the bosses. These deep-sea monsters are truly something else. As you chip away at their health, they shift forms, change phases, and unleash new abilities in classic RPG fashion. Get ready for some “This isn’t even my final form!” moments.
Gear Up — Top Fishing Tools of Azerim
There are plenty of ways to get your hands on powerful equipment — hidden treasure chests, upgraded shop inventories, or even bizarre side quests from Honeywood’s eccentric mayor. Whether you favor magic or brute strength, your playstyle determines what tools will serve you best.
Here are a few fan-favorite pieces of gear to look out for:

Bonecaller’s Rod
A perfect weapon for early offensive mages, this rod can be earned early on by completing the first set of the mayor’s side quests. It’ll carry you comfortably through the midgame until you’re ready for something stronger.

The Buckler
Great for defensive players who prefer to outlast rather than overpower. Found in a submerged treasure chest, its bonus defense can turn a seemingly impossible boss fight into a manageable one.

Obvious Wizard Hat
A must-have for glass-cannon mages. Once you gain more freedom of movement with your hook, head back to the ship at sea to find this stylish — and powerful — hat.

Ring of Great Recovery
Beyond healing potions and spells, this ring helps restore your health mid-battle. Whether you’re a tank, mage, or hybrid build, you can buy it from Willow’s shop to give yourself a little extra survivability.

Duel Ring
Earned after defeating the first boss, this ring helps new players time their blocks and parries more effectively. It’s a huge advantage early in the game and perfect for mastering defensive combat.
In general, however, the rule is: anyone who wants to have the very best equipment has to upgrade all the shops to the maximum level. Then you’ll find gear that offers the best of the best for mages, paladins, or warriors respectively.
Except for one exception — the reward for defeating the secret new boss. But we don’t want to spoil too much about that.
From peaceful moments in Honeywood to chaotic boss battles deep below Azerim, Nice Day for Fishing redefines what a “fishing game” can be — part parody, part adventure, and all heart.
If you’ve ever seen Viva La Dirt League’s Epic NPC Man YouTube series on YouTube, you’ll instantly recognize the iconic characters and laugh-out-loud moments, complete with epic quests and a whole bunch of fishing and achievements just waiting to be unlocked.
Your time of adventuring is here! Whether you’re chasing colossal catches, or just in it for the signature comedy of Viva La Dirt League, it’s a catch you won’t want to miss. Nice Day for Fishing is available today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title!

Nice Day for Fishing – Epic Edition
Team17
$23.99
$17.99
Upgrade your gear with the Nice Day for Fishing “Legendary DLC”, featuring a range of new Legendary equipment to help you become the hero you were destined to be. Battle fish, look epic, and save Azerim!
The Epic Edition includes:
– Legendary Rod
– Legendary Hat
– Legendary Ring
– Legendary Necklace
– 4 sails to customize Baelin’s boat
– “Overpriced Cosmetic Item” Rod
– Ring of Dormor
– “Company Property” Necklace
– Tinfoil Hat

Nice Day for Fishing
Team17
$19.99
$14.99
When the heroes of Azerim mysteriously vanish, an evil force threatens to take over the lands! Baelin the fisherman NPC must rise up to defend the town of Honeywood the only way he knows how! However, something’s different… Baelin’s no longer an NPC but… an Adventurer! Can you handle your new found responsibility?! Battle fish with precision timing and magic spells, upgrade your abilities, defeat evil and rebuild Honeywood.
Morning! Nice day for fishing ain’t it!
Epic Fishing Battles
Engage in fearless fishing battles to fulfil quests, increase your strength and unlock spells to use against your aquatic adversaries. Equip the right bait for your catch, and time your attacks perfectly to ensure flawless victory. Be wary of the boss fish looming in the deep, who will truly test your skills.
Explore the world of Azerim
Explore the enchanting lands of Azerim above land and beneath the waves. Adventure through Honeywood forest to the Azerim coast where you’ll encounter new quests, people to save and new fish to catch. Navigate the pull of the underwater currents to move your hook into hard to reach caves and upgrade your fishing line to delve deeper into the abyss.
New Gear, New Mechanics
Every Adventurer deserves the ultimate tools for their quest. Although Baelin may be a humble fisherman, as an Adventurer his rod is his weapon, his boat is his steed and his hat is his armor, so make sure you’ve equipped the right one for the job! Effortlessly dredge hidden treasures from the deep with the magnet hook, or break through cavern walls with the powerful drill to unlock new pathways. Enhance your fishing rod to increase your strength and upgrade your lines to go further into the depths to target the formidable and challenging fish that swim in the shadows.
Rebuild Honeywood
While on your adventures, you’ll find valuable resources to dredge from shipwrecks that have succumbed to the sea, which can be used to rebuild the destroyed village. Enlist help from the Woodcutter to bring Honeywood back to its former glory. Each building upgrade unlocks more equipment and quests from the merchants.
Complete the Collection
Prove yourself worthy to the mighty fishing God by offering completed collections from each region at his statue, and receive your blessings of upgraded skills.
The post Nice Day for Fishing: Creating the World of Epic NPC Man’s Azerim appeared first on Xbox Wire.
ROUTINE: Introducing the C.A.T. Ultraview Module – IGN First


What if the 1980’s became the jumping off point for the future? Like how this year’s Fantastic Four movie was a ’50’s version of the future? Enter ROUTINE, an upcoming first-person sci-fi horror game set on a lunar base. Like all good horror games, silence and loneliness are your worst enemies, and that’s true in ROUTINE – except for the part where you discover a foe who thinks the primary threat is, in fact, you. Piece together the events that took place prior to your arrival, and try to survive.
ROUTINE is our IGN First “cover story” game for November, ahead of its December 4 release for PC (Steam and Xbox on PC) and Xbox (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Xbox Cloud) – including Xbox Game Pass on day one. This first exclusive video (watch it above) introduces you to the C.A.T. Ultraview Module, a tool you’ll need to make frequent use of as you explore the lunar base. It looks like a camcorder and a radar gun had a baby, and…you’ll have to check out the video to see what it does.
ROUTINE has quite the development story, having originally been announced over a decade ago. It was re-revealed in 2022, and we finally played it for the first time earlier this year. Stay tuned all November long for more exclusive IGN First coverage. In the meantime, you can wishlist ROUTINE on Steam if you’re interested.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
City of Balls Was the Original Title — And Somehow, Ball X Pit Got Even Weirder From There
Ball X Pit is the latest obsession to grip gamers, a chaotic roguelite that mashes together the mechanics of games like Peggle, Diablo and Vampire Survivors to make something that’s impossible to characterize, but is dangerously playable. Somehow it’s the work of one man, Kenny Sun, a game developer from Brooklyn, NY who loves games like Vampire Survivors, Deep Rock Galactic Survivor and Blotch Arrow. We spoke to Sun to first of all, confirm how the hell we say the Ball x Pit out loud, and then to talk about how he created this moreish Frankenstein’s monster of a game.
“It’s Ball Pit. Just Ball Pit. There’s no X,” explains Sun. “It’s mostly a tribute to anime like Phantom Hunter. Also, X can mean fusion, which ties into the game’s theme.” He also reveals that when he first had to choose a game name for Steam, it was City of Balls.
“It started when I played a mobile brick-breaker roguelite a few years ago. I got hooked but didn’t like all the free-to-play elements. So I wanted to make a version without that — a buy-once experience. From there, it evolved through tons of iteration,” Sun says, explaining the game’s origin, and why he settled on building a farm as a key part of progressing through the game.
“I wanted something more visual and personal than just menus — something with identity. I liked the idea of little characters bouncing around a base. Plus, I did base-building in my last game, so it wasn’t a huge leap.”
Some ideas didn’t make the cut, but Sun hinted that at least a few could come back with updates to the game.
“I try not to waste work, so most ideas make it in. But one was a magma ball that left lava trails enemies would take damage from — once the game started scrolling, it didn’t make sense visually, so we cut it,” he says, as for something we could see one day.
“I cut a pet system — you could bring pets into levels and they’d gain XP. It was fun but too much on top of character progression. There was even a monkey that jumped on enemies.”
And Sun has already been making updates, listening to feedback from players and tweaking the mechanics to make quality of life improvements. “Hitboxes were misaligned, so I redid them. And I added luck protection for fishing — players didn’t like getting too many bad rolls in a row.”
If you haven’t played Ball X Pit yet (and you really should) we asked Sun for his top tip to give you a head start.
“Aim for the back of the board so the balls ricochet around — that’s key for damage,” he advises. His personal favorite combo? “I like hemorrhage builds — combine it with area-of-effect stuff like lightning or ghost. Flash hits everything on screen.”
His favorite villager? “The one whose balls bounce off the back. I love chaotic screens. Combine him with Cohabitants for double the balls — it’s wild.”
Ball X Pit is out now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X and S, with a Nintendo 2 version on its way soon. As for future updates?
“I can say there’s more coming, but not what exactly,” teases Sun. “The game’s done really well, and it feels right to give players a bit more.”
Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Games at IGN and an elder millennial. She’s been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, and French Bulldogs. Those extra wrinkles on her face are thanks to going time blind and staying up too late finishing every sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.
Your Wreckfest 2 ride merely adopted the rust and dents; mine had its scuffage moulded by the new CRAP-IT tool

“In a decaying society, art, if it is truthful, must also reflect decay,” Austrian journalist and Marxist Ernst Fischer wrote in The Necessity of Art. “And unless it wants to break faith with its social function, art must show the world as changeable. And help to change it.” I can’t help but feel he’d very much appreciate Wreckfest 2‘s fourth early access update, which has added in a tool you can use to brush detailed rust, dirt, and dents onto the canvas of your old banger. Said tool has been given a suitably glorious name: CRAP-IT.
Fortnite Now Polling Fans Over Unpopular Pet Restrictions, Which Require You to Rebuy Sidekicks Just to Change Their Fur Color

Fortnite developer Epic Games has issued a fresh user survey polling players over its pet-like Sidekicks — and in particular, the need to rebuy each creature to get another version, after your basic design choices are made permanent.
Currently, Fortnite forces fans to lock in their Sidekick’s body color, shape and style upon first use, and warns players that their decision cannot be changed again.
For now, just one Sidekick animal is available — banana dog hybrid Peels, which you get two of within Fortnite’s current The Simpsons battle pass. Upon first equipping the pooch, you must decide from three banana skin colors (yellow, yellow-green, or mottled), an ear shape (pointy, less pointy, flat) and a body style (slender, or thicc).
After this, each Sidekick also comes with its own mini battle pass of cosmetic add-ons (Peels has an emote where it dances with maracas, and also a couple of shirt options it can wear that can be equipped at will). But the creature’s base design choices are indeed no longer changeable, leaving players who want to try other body options seeking a separate Peels incarnation to change from the ground up.
Later this week, on November 7, a selection of additional Sidekicks will be available separately via the Fortnite in-game shop, with upcoming creatures set to include more dog breeds, a dinosaur, and even a Fishstick fish in a bubble. Each will cost either 1,200 or 1,500 V-Bucks (around $10-$14), and each is expected to offer numerous permanent cosmetic options fans will have to buy numerous versions of to own them all.
Amid the backlash to this decision, Epic Games has sent a fresh user survey sent to Fortnite players, including myself, that specifically asks for feedback on Sidekicks’ permanent customization mechanic — offering some fans a glimmer of hope that the whole thing is being reconsidered.
“How do you feel about the Sidekicks cosmetic?” asks one question. “Did you know that Sidekicks have basic features that you can only customize once upon claiming that Sidekick (e.g. its color and shape?” asks another. And then:
“How do you feel about having to purchase an additional copy of the same Sidekick if you want to customize your Sidekick with different basic features?” asks a third query, with various options to reply, from “strongly dislike” to “strongly like.”
Some fans have suggested Epic Games originally envisaged buying Sidekicks to be like adopting a creature from a pet shop — with a specific design you bond with over time (and as you unlock their battle pass). Others have also said that the pricing here, while steep, is little different to Fortnite’s also widely-disliked Kicks (digital shoes), which often cost upwards of 1,000 V-Bucks for licensed designs, and regularly require players to buy multiple copies to access different colors. (Around a dozen near-identical digital pairs of Crocs exist in the game, each of which must be bought separately.)
But others have compared Sidekicks to the highly customizable nature of many character skins — and indeed, the color options available to Fortnite’s more-basic Pets, which launched back during the game’s earlier years, and can be customized at will.
Certainly, it feels like the widespread response to Sidekicks’ design limitations has struck a chord. Far from a fun new cosmetic type — and one that could prove hugely lucrative, when licensed Sidekicks like Grogu and Stitch arrive — launching to positive sentiment, their soft-launch via Peels has only stirred up a backlash, with various reddit threads and social media posts now encouraging other players not to buy more when they do go on sale later this week.
Will Epic Games change course? Time will tell, though answers to that survey (and the sales from this week’s shop update) may play a part.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social







