The Dark Voyager Sidekick is a flaming, floating pet tied to Fortnite's Shattered live event, the finale that closed out Chapter 7 Season 2. Sidekicks normally cost V-Bucks in the Item Shop, but this one was handed out for free to players who showed up the right way. The catch is simple but strict. You needed a friend in your party when the event began, or you only walked away with the matching pickaxe.
Quick answer: Attending the Shattered live event with at least one friend in your party unlocks the free Dark Voyager Sidekick. Queuing solo unlocks only the Dark Voyager Pickaxe.
Dark Voyager Sidekick free reward requirements
Epic split the Shattered rewards into two tiers based on how you queued. The pickaxe had no social requirement, but the pet did. You had to load into the event playlist with another person from your friends list already in your party.
| How you queued | Reward unlocked |
|---|---|
| Solo | Dark Voyager Pickaxe |
| With at least one friend in your party | Dark Voyager Pickaxe and Dark Voyager Sidekick |
Note: If you started the event alone, the Sidekick does not retroactively appear. The pet is locked behind the duo condition only.
Shattered live event date and time
The Shattered live event took place on June 5, 2026, at 7 PM ET, with the playlist doors opening early at 6:20 PM ET. The event marked the end of Chapter 7 Season 2, and the servers went straight into downtime afterward to prepare Chapter 7 Season 3.
How to unlock the Dark Voyager Sidekick
Step 1: Launch Fortnite and open the playlist selector. Choose the Shattered event playlist before the doors closed at the start time.
Step 2: Invite at least one person from your friends list into your party. They need to be present and joined before the event begins, not added partway through.
Step 3: Ready up together and watch the event play out. Staying through the experience with your duo intact is what flags you for the Sidekick.
No friends online? Workarounds that count as a duo
An empty friends list was the main thing standing between players and the pet. Two approaches met the duo requirement without needing your usual squad.
Step 1: Ask the community for a partner. The r/FortNiteBR subreddit was a common place to find someone who also needed one warm body in their lobby to qualify.
Step 2: Make a second account on a phone or spare console. Add your main account as a friend, then invite that alt into your party so the game registers you as a valid duo.
Either method works the same way. The game only checks that another player is in your party, not who they are.
When and how rewards appear
Because the servers dropped into downtime right after the event, the cosmetics did not land in your locker immediately. The Dark Voyager Sidekick and Pickaxe arrive at the launch of Chapter 7 Season 3. Open your locker once the new season is live and check your pets and pickaxe categories to confirm they unlocked.
If only the pickaxe shows up and the pet is missing, that points to one cause. You started the event solo rather than with a friend in your party. There is no confirmation that the Dark Voyager Sidekick will return to the Item Shop later, so the event window was the reliable way to add it for free.