Sidekicks have taken over lobbies and Item Shop rotations, and if you're still without one, the question is simple: how do you actually get Sidekicks in Fortnite without wasting V-Bucks on the wrong method? There are seven confirmed ways to unlock one right now — some free, some paid, one available to literally every account. This guide breaks down each one.
What Are Sidekicks in Fortnite and Why Players Want Them
Sidekicks are cosmetic companion pets that follow you around Battle Royale, Zero Build, LEGO Fortnite, Save the World, Fortnite Festival (backstage only), and any Creative or UEFN island where a creator has enabled them. They were introduced in Chapter 6 Mini Season 2, back in November 2025, and they've been an Item Shop fixture ever since.
Here's the question most people want answered first: do Sidekicks give any advantage? No.
What Sidekicks don't do (in standard Battle Royale and Zero Build):
- Fight or deal damage
- Loot
- Get seen by enemies — only you and your squad see your companion
What Sidekicks do offer:
- React to emotes and the environment
- Can be petted
- Earn their own Sidekick Points toward exclusive hats, reactions, and emotes
One exception: on Creative and UEFN islands, creators can enable full NPC combat for Sidekicks. Epic's documentation confirms they can inflict and take direct and splash damage from specific items — grenades, launchers, bows, and blasters — with health and shield adjustable via the Health Modifier, or set fully invulnerable for non-combat loops like puzzles or pet care. This is a creator-enabled option on custom maps only — it doesn't change how Sidekicks behave in core Battle Royale, Zero Build, or Ranked, where they remain purely cosmetic.
One detail worth knowing before you unlock your first one: most Sidekicks lock in their color, pattern, eyes, and body traits permanently the first time you customize them. Name and accessories can still be changed later — the base look can't. More on that below.
All Ways to Get Sidekicks in Fortnite (Complete Methods List)
There are currently seven legitimate ways to get Sidekicks in Fortnite, split between free and paid. Whether you're sitting on a full V-Bucks balance or playing completely free-to-play, at least one of these fits your situation. Here's the full list at a glance before the numbered breakdown below:
1. Get Sidekicks in Fortnite from the Item Shop (Paid Method)
The Item Shop resets daily at 00:00 UTC, and Sidekicks rotate through fairly often. Pricing depends on whether it's a standard release or a licensed collab:
If your balance is running low, a quick Fortnite Top Up covers the gap before the shop resets.
The current live example is the Patrick Star Sidekick, part of SpongeBob Collab Wave 2, priced at 1,500 V-Bucks and available starting July 23, 2026 at roughly 8 PM ET, often bundled with a discount alongside the new Ice Spice skin.
To buy one:
- Open the Item Shop from the lobby.
- Find the Sidekick or collab section.
- Select the Sidekick and hold Purchase.
- It lands in your Locker under Sidekicks immediately.
Missed one you liked? Most non-collab Sidekicks rotate back within 1–2 months, so it's rarely gone for good.
2. Unlock Sidekicks Through the Fortnite Battle Pass
If you already planned to buy the premium Battle Pass, this is arguably the best value method to get Sidekicks in Fortnite, since the companion is just one of several rewards bundled in. Confirmed Battle Pass exclusives so far:
- Peels (banana dog) — Chapter 6 Mini Season 2
- Remus — Chapter 7 Season 1, page 5
- Holee Skye and Ice Prince — Chapter 7 Season 2
These stay exclusive for a long stretch, sometimes permanently — a few eventually resurface in the Item Shop, but that's never guaranteed. Progress through the Pass pages and tiers to unlock them as you go.
3. Free Default Sidekick – Claim Dane
This is the easiest method on the list, and it costs nothing. Epic gave every account a free Great Dane puppy named Dane, part of the "Big Dog" set, automatically — no quest, no pop-up.
How to claim it:
- Log in to Fortnite.
- Open your Locker.
- Check the Sidekicks tab — it should already be there.
Dane isn't customizable but arrives fully unlocked with a harness style, the "Dane's Target" emote, and a reaction (you can still rename it).
Worth doing a quick Locker audit if you haven't checked in a while — plenty of players sit on unclaimed free items without realizing it.
4. Free Limited-Time Quest – Cuddles and Chaos for P.A.N.D.A. Team Jr.
This is currently the largest free opportunity active in the game, and the lowest-cost way to get Sidekicks in Fortnite this month. Head to the Discover menu, then Categories, then Cuddles and Chaos (listed under Creature-Based Games) — these are UEFN maps built around Sidekicks, and simply playing them earns XP toward an 8-quest reward track. For faster progress, these XP-focused Creative maps are worth checking too, since longer sessions in either category compound quickly.
Reward progression:
Owning and equipping it unlocks extra overall styles, a Bamboo Heart reaction usable on any Sidekick, and the "Rain Shoots and Leaves" emote. The track ends around August 24–25, 2026, after which the Sidekick will likely move into the Item Shop for V-Bucks instead.
5. Free OG Pet Back Bling Conversions
Long-time players get rewarded automatically here — it's one of the few ways to get Sidekicks in Fortnite that costs nothing and requires no quest grinding, just cosmetics you already own. If you own a matching Chapter 1 Pet Back Bling, Epic converts it into the full Sidekick version, no quest, sometimes no notification either.
Confirmed free conversions:
Some of these carry over from older Fortnite Accounts that have held onto their Chapter 1 cosmetics since launch, which explains why some players already own it without buying anything new.
How to check:
- Open your Locker.
- Filter by Sidekicks.
- Claim automatically if you're eligible.
Don't own the original Pet? The Sidekick version is still purchasable later, typically 1,200–1,500 V-Bucks.
6. Competitive Cups and Live Events
Rarer, but worth knowing about:
- Competitive: High placement in specific Icon Cups has awarded free Sidekicks before. Example: Louis, CouRage's dog, was a reward from the Courage Icon Cup in December 2025 before it later appeared in the Item Shop.
- Live events: Bark Voyager (sometimes called Dark Voyager) came from the Shattered Live Event in June 2026, but only for players who joined with at least one party member — solo attendance only earned the pickaxe.
These windows are tied to whatever Epic is running that season, so there's no way to plan around them the way you can with the Item Shop or Battle Pass. Treat any competitive or event Sidekick as a bonus if it lines up, not something to plan a strategy around.
7. Cross-Promotion and Special Unlocks
Occasionally a Sidekick is tied to buying something outside Fortnite entirely:
- Dart Monkey Sidekick — free with a purchase of Bloons TD 6 on the Epic Games Store. Previous purchases don't retroactively count.
- Missed the window? It's still available in the Item Shop for 1,500 V-Bucks.
Collabs like this tend to cluster around the same period as other crossover content, similar to how the Rick and Morty Wave 3 release brought its own wave of exclusive items alongside Pickle Rick. If you're browsing the wider Fortnite Items catalog for collab-tied cosmetics, it's worth checking back around major crossover drops.
Requirements, Customization Rules & Important Limitations
This is the section to read before you spend anything. The base appearance lock-in is permanent. The first time you customize a Sidekick — colors, patterns, eyes, body shape — those choices are final. The only way to change the base look afterward is to buy another copy of the same Sidekick. Name and accessories (hats, hoodies) can be swapped anytime, no penalty.
A few other rules worth knowing:
Pro Tips for Getting the Most Out of Sidekicks
These tips apply no matter which method you use to get Sidekicks in Fortnite:
- Check the Item Shop daily, right after the 00:00 UTC reset — most Sidekicks stay a few days, then rotate back within 1–2 months if you miss them.
- Never lock in customization on the first screen. Cycle through every color, pattern, and body option first; once it's locked, only a second purchase changes it.
- Check your Locker's Sidekicks tab after every major update. Free OG conversions and Dane appear automatically, with no pop-up telling you.
- Stack the free methods first. Claim Dane, grind the Cuddles and Chaos track for P.A.N.D.A. Team Jr., then decide if any paid Sidekick is actually worth the V-Bucks.
- Watch for bundles. Collab exclusives are often paired with matching Fortnite Skins at a discount versus buying each separately.
How to Earn Sidekick Points and Unlock Extra Cosmetics
Once you own one, progression doesn't stop — Sidekick Points keep unlocking extras. Points are earned passively just by playing supported modes with the Sidekick equipped, with bonus progress from quests, challenges, and accolades. Important detail: points are tied to whichever Sidekick is currently equipped, so switching companions splits your progress instead of combining it.
What Sidekick Points unlock:
Fastest method:
- Equip the Sidekick you want to level.
- Queue into Battle Royale, Zero Build, or the current creature-based maps while they're live.
- Complete any quests available along the way.
Progress and claimable rewards live in the Quests tab under the Sidekick section.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Sidekicks in Fortnite
Conclusion
Between Dane's free unlock, the Cuddles and Chaos quest line, Battle Pass exclusives, and the Item Shop rotation, there's a way to get Sidekicks in Fortnite that fits almost any budget. Claim what's free first, save the permanent customization for a Sidekick you're sure about, and keep the paid options for whichever companion you actually want in your squad.
