Tag: pay-to-win
Call of Duty dips into ‘pay-to-win’ with $12 bundle that gives you actual gameplay advantages
New Apex Legends Patch Modifies “Pay-To-Win” Flatline Skin
A new Apex Legends patch was released today, finally addressing the “pay-to-win” Flatline skin that was introduced to the game nearly two weeks ago. The Splash Zone Flatline skin–which arrived in game as part of the Sun Squad Collection Event–originally had a pair of iron sights that, according to players, gave anyone using it an unfair advantage. This was addressed by Respawn in late March, but no changes were made until the release of today’s 16.1.1 patch. Though no official patch notes were released, Respawn did list some of the recent changes via a Tweet.
Highlights from today’s @playapex patch include:
🖱️ Remove/Transfer attachment buttons have been reverted
🦇 Echo now spawns in the correct location when deployed
☀️ Belgian accounts can now purchase Sun Squad skins
👁️ Splash Zone Flatline has received updated iron sights— Respawn (@Respawn) April 10, 2023
The new patch has updated the Splash Zone’s default sights to more closely resemble the standard Flatline iron sights. Though some players appear to be distraught over the news, others are apathetic. The iron sights are unlikely to affect gameplay for casual players, but esports professionals and other high-ranking players have been outspoken about their disappointment in the new skin, with 100 Thieves’ member NiceWigg demanding refunds be given to players who purchased the skin.
In addition to the Splash Zone update, the new patch has also addressed an issue with attaching and swapping weapon attachments in the game’s inventory screen. When the Sun Squad Collection Event first went live, PC players noticed that the default button to add or remove attachments had been swapped. Instead of clicking the left mouse button to remove an attachment and the right mouse button to swap it, players had to click the right mouse button to remove attachments and the left mouse button to swap them. Now that it’s been fixed, some players are joking that, after spending two weeks with the bug, their muscle memory will take some time to get used to the change.
Are Valorant skins pay-to-win? Esports coaches, players and CEOs weigh in
“Every single time I pick up the ‘Elderflame’ skin set, it distracts me. Every single time. I’m a bit of a fanboy for dragons, so, easy serotonin on that front” said one of our interviewees when asked if theh thought skins helped you win a game. “And then I hyperfixate on the skin, and miss every shot, costing a round or sometimes even the game.”
“ALL DRAGON SKINS ARE BAD. DELETE THEM FROM GAME” said another. A pretty bold start to us trying to answer the “are skins pay-to-win” question for Valorant, then.
Valorant is a tactical shooter that pits five attackers against five defenders, bearing similarities to the likes of Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Rainbow Six Siege. As each team tries to either lock down a site or to retake it, players must use a combination of skill, communication, and their characters abilities to secure a win. Whether the power of friendship is on your side or not, the most important aspect of Valorant, arguably, is strategising with your team.
Apex Legends’ accidental pay-to-win skins are getting nerfed
The Heat Sink skin is getting a slightly worse iron-sight
Respawn is changing those supposed pay-to-win Apex Legends skins
A recent batch of Apex Legends weapon skins have been causing some controversy as a number of players believe that the aim down sights (ADS) are better than on other skins.
As reported by PCGamesN, some pay-to-win accusations have been thrown at developer Respawn due to the introduction of weapon skins like the Heat Sink skin. According to some players, the Heat Sink skin has a vastly superior ADS compared to other guns’ skins. However, Respawn has since addressed the criticism, providing an update on said skin and more.
“Competitive integrity is and will always be a core pillar for Apex Legends,” wrote Respawn in a blog post. “As part of that, our default iron sights are designed to push players to loot for better optics. We also believe that skins shouldn’t be a factor in the sights functionality as well. During Season 4, we released the Heat Sink reactive skin for the VK-47 Flatline rifle and we heard feedback from some players that the Aim Down Sights (ADS) felt superior to any other skin available.
Blizzard really wants you to know that there’s no pay-to-win in Diablo 4
There will be a Season Pass, but its paid tier will offer cosmetic rewards only
‘Diablo IV’ won’t include pay-to-win microtransactions
Blizzard has published a long-awaited update on its monetization plans for Diablo IV. The short version of the blog post is that Diablo IV will be a full-priced title with an in-game shop and optional seasonal passes. However, the only way to make your characters more powerful will be by playing the game. Here’s how monetization will work.
Blizzard plans to structure Diablo IV’s endgame around seasons. The game will feature up to four seasons per year, with the first one launching shortly after the game’s release. Each new season will bring additional features, balance changes and quality of life improvements, as well as new quests to complete and items to collect. As in Diablo II and III, you’ll need to create a new character to participate in the latest season. That said, your previous ones will live on in the game’s “Eternal Realm,” where you can continue playing them.
A byproduct of that schedule is that there will be fewer seasonal passes for players to buy in Diablo IV than in Diablo Immortal and Overwatch 2, where new ones are available to purchase every four and nine weeks, respectively. Each season pass will feature both free and paid tracks. Progressing through the former will earn you rewards that make it easier to level your characters. Specifically, the free tier will award “Season Boosts,” which Blizzard says will accelerate your progress for the duration of that season. You won’t be able to spend money to purchase additional Season Boosts or unlock them at a faster rate.
By contrast, the paid track awards cosmetic items and the game’s premium currency. You can use the latter to purchase cosmetic items through Diablo IV’s in-game shop. “Nothing offered in the Shop grants a direct or indirect gameplay advantage,” said Kegan Clark, Diablo IV director of product. “So, while many of these may look like powerful pieces of gear, they have no in-game stats.”
Additionally, Blizzard claims some of the best-looking armor, weapons and transmorgs – items you can use to change the appearance of a piece of gear – will be found by playing the game. “The Shop offers more diversity of choices, not systematically better choices,” Clark added.
While one could argue purchasable cosmetics go against the spirit of an action RPG series like Diablo, the system previewed Blizzard for Diablo IV at least looks much better than its Diablo Immortal counterpart since it will allow you to mix and match individual items to create your own sets. Additionally, once you buy a premium set for a specific class, you can use the included items on every character of that class on your account.
Separate from the battle pass system is a progression mechanic called the Season Journey (pictured above). Like its Diablo III counterpart, the Season Journey will allow you to earn items and cosmetics by completing chapter tasks. The Season Journey is included with the base game, and filling out its pages will also earn you progress toward the current season pass.
Today’s blog post follows weeks of bad press around Diablo Immortal’s aggressive monetization. At the start of August, YouTuber Jtisallbusiness posted a video complaining that he couldn’t participate in the game’s endgame PVP after spending $100,000 to max out his character. Blizzard later said it would address the issue, but not before JT’s story added to the negative discourse around the game. But for all the vocal complaining around Immortal’s monetization, it doesn’t seem to have affected Blizzard’s bottom line. Eight weeks after release, the game surpassed $100 million in lifetime revenue, making it one of the fastest mobile titles to achieve that feat.