Picture it: 1999, dial-up internet, and a kid spending hours feeding a pixelated cat-like creature named Aisha on Neopets.com. Fast-forward 27 years, and that same creature is about to follow you around a battle royale island. Fortnite is getting Neopets, and the announcement has hit Millennial players right in the nostalgia.
Epic Games confirmed this week that Aisha, one of Neopets' most recognizable creatures, is joining Fortnite on July 2. The character will arrive as part of the game's Sidekick pet system, the cosmetic companion slot that Epic introduced back in November.
What the Aisha Sidekick actually means for players
Sidekicks are small companion cosmetics that follow your character around the map without affecting gameplay. Since launching in November, Epic has built out a surprisingly eclectic roster for the slot: dogs, cats, birds, dragons, and a string of licensed characters including SpongeBob SquarePants, the Toy Story Alien, Adventure Time's Peppermint Butler, Rick and Morty's Snowball, and Itchy from The Simpsons.
Aisha fits that mold well. The creature is one of Neopets' most beloved designs, a slender, elf-eared feline that has been part of the brand since its earliest days. As a Sidekick, it will likely trot alongside players in that distinctive small-scale format the slot uses for all its companions.
Pricing details have not been confirmed yet, though Sidekicks are typically purchased with V-Bucks through the Item Shop. Here's the thing: Epic has faced some pushback from players over the cost structure of Sidekick pets before, so it will be worth watching how the Aisha bundle is priced when it drops.
A 27-year-old brand finding a new generation
Neopets launched in 1999, created by Adam and Donna Powell, and became one of the defining online experiences for kids growing up in the early internet era. At its peak, it was more than a pet game: it was a full community platform with games, forums, and an elaborate world called Neopia filled with creatures, faeries, and lore.
Ownership of the brand changed hands several times over the decades. Since 2023, World of Neopia has held the reins, and the company has been actively working to bring the brand back to relevance. That push has included reviving classic Flash-era minigames through the Ruffle emulator, and launching a trading card game called the Neopets Battledome TCG.
The Fortnite collab is the highest-profile move in that revival so far. Getting Aisha into one of the most-played games on the planet puts Neopets in front of players who may have never visited Neopets.com, alongside the Millennial players who grew up with it.
Fortnite's collab machine keeps rolling
For Epic, this is another entry in a collab calendar that shows no signs of slowing. The Sidekick slot in particular has become a vehicle for pulling in IP from every corner of pop culture, and Neopets slots neatly into that pattern. The brand has genuine recognition across a wide age range, and the Aisha design translates well to the small-companion format.
What most players miss is how strategically Epic times these nostalgia plays. Neopets is in the middle of an active brand revival, which means both sides benefit from the visibility. For World of Neopia, Fortnite is a marketing channel that reaches hundreds of millions of registered accounts. For Epic, it is another Sidekick that a specific, passionate audience will spend V-Bucks on.
Fortnite has been stacking collaborations this season. If you want to keep track of everything dropping, the Fortnite guides collection has you covered, including details on other recent collab arrivals like Perry the Platypus and Dr. Doofenshmirtz. The Aisha Sidekick goes live July 2, so mark the date if you want to grab it before it potentially cycles out of the shop.
