I hit the Item Shop refresh and felt that small, silly rush—the purchase wheel ticking toward full. Pac-Man appeared in my lobby, bright and ridiculous, grinning as if nothing at stake. I realized I had two choices: buy him and carry a pocket sun in my locker, or let a tiny piece of gaming history slide away.
I’ve tracked dozens of Item Shop drops and worked the V-Bucks math for readers long enough that you can skip the guesswork. I’ll show you the clean path to grab the Pac-Man Sidekick, the real cost in cash, where it sits in Epic Games’ lineup, and what you actually get for your V-Bucks.
My Item Shop refreshed this evening — How to get the Pac-Man Sidekick and what it costs
You open Fortnite, the Item Shop sits at the top, and there it is: Pac-Man in yellow, brown gloves, and red boots. The Sidekick is cosmetic only; he won’t fight for you, but he will follow your avatar around lobbies and on the island.
Here’s the straightforward purchase route I use:
- Open Fortnite and tap the Item Shop tab.
- Find the Pac-Man section near the top carousel — Epic Games often highlights collabs there.
- Select the Pac-Man Sidekick or the full Pac-Man Bundle.
- Confirm the purchase by holding the Purchase button until the circle completes.
- Fortnite will drop the Sidekick into your locker; then equip Pac-Man from Locker > Sidekicks.
Price breakdown: the Pac-Man Sidekick is 1,500 V-Bucks. That equates to roughly $11.99 (€11) in standard V-Bucks bundles; the Pac-Man Bundle is 2,200 V-Bucks (~$17.99 (€16)). The bundle includes extra cosmetics tied to the Bandai Namco collab, but the single Sidekick is the better buy if you only want Pac-Man.
How much does the Pac-Man Sidekick cost in Fortnite?
The Sidekick costs 1,500 V-Bucks. Expect to spend about $11.99 (€11) if you need to buy V-Bucks to cover it; prices can vary slightly by platform and region.
When was the Pac-Man Sidekick released in Fortnite?
Epic Games released the Pac-Man Sidekick on September 18, 2026, at the Item Shop reset (8 PM ET). The collab ties into Bandai Namco’s IP and Fortnite’s Chapter 7 Season 4 content cadence.
When will the Pac-Man Sidekick leave the Item Shop?
According to the drop schedule, the Sidekick rotated out on September 25, 2026, at 8 PM ET. If you’re reading this later, it may return during special events or later collabs — the Item Shop is a revolving stage.
The lobby suddenly looks different — Sidekick Points, rewards, and what to do next
You equip Pac-Man and he trails you through Battle Royale or Zero Build; small icons and counters start ticking. Sidekicks in Fortnite can earn Sidekick Points as you play, and Pac-Man is no exception.
Use him while playing matches and completing Fortnite Quests to pile up Sidekick Points. Those points redeem small extras tied to the Sidekick experience; here are the reward names associated with Pac-Man:
| Cosmetic Name | Cosmetic Type |
|---|---|
| Waka Waka | Emoticon |
| Pac-Man Heart | Reaction |
| Pac-Man (Cel) | Style |
| Blue Dot Snack | Emote |
If you’re worried about item cost efficiency: consider buying the Chapter 7 Season 4 Battle Pass if you plan to play a lot — it usually returns more value for V-Bucks than single-shop purchases. Also keep an eye on Fortnitemares 2026; Epic Games typically drops seasonal content that can change your priorities.
Small pro tip from my testing: the Sidekick Points accumulate fastest in longer matches and when you complete objectives, so pair Pac-Man with a quest-focused session. And yes, you can stack Sprite items and use Sprite Dust if you find yourself re-summoning companions — some community threads reference “Fortnite Lobby Hack (Admin Panel) Codes,” but stick to official Epic updates and in-game mechanics for anything that affects accounts.
The Item Shop showed a collab banner — why this matters for collectors
Every collab with a legacy IP like Pac-Man shifts how players value a cosmetic. Bandai Namco characters don’t appear in Fortnite every week; collectors rush when they do.
Pac-Man is fun because he’s instantly recognizable and family-friendly, and owning the Sidekick ties you to a moment where nostalgia met Fortnite’s modern shop economy. If you’ve weighed the V-Bucks and want a small, iconic companion, this is one of those buys that reads clean on your locker feed.
I’ve tracked similar drops, from the Fractal Cat Sidekick to crossover bundles, and the rule I follow is simple: buy what you genuinely want, not what hype tells you to grab. Will you let Pac-Man chew his way into your collection or wait for the next collab to tempt your V-Bucks? ?