The term Pay2Win refers to a game where you pay to become stronger. However, the boundaries of what exactly constitutes Pay2Win and what is still considered acceptable are becoming increasingly blurred. In recent months, especially Lost Ark and Black Desert have faced significant backlash. MyMMO editor Alexander Leitsch, however, recalls his experiences with Perfect World.
The boundaries between Pay2Win, Pay2Convenience, and what is accepted by the majority are becoming increasingly blurred. I personally approach games without much pain.
For example, I have no problem with level boosters and even consider them very helpful, as they often allowed me to reach the midgame of an MMORPG faster and thus get a better picture of the game. This is also what the well-known MMORPG YouTuber Josh Strife Hayes reflects on.
I see Lost Ark as mostly unproblematic because the same can be achieved with foreseeable grinding as with real money. With Black Desert and its equipment enhancement mechanics, I am more divided, as the grinding experience here is a bit different.
However, both games fade in comparison to Perfect World International. Although I have not played this game since 2013, I still carry a small trauma from that time.
Perfect World sells potions and pets that are only available for real money
Perfect World has many systems that I would consider Pay2Win. My biggest issue back then was with the “spells,” two potions that restore health points and mana. These potions were practically mandatory in the game, as they could decide a PvP battle single-handedly. And PvP exists starting at level 30 in the open world.
However, both potions were only available for real money and had limited uses. This means they would eventually run out, and I had to reach into my wallet again.
Even today, these potions still exist, as I could see after a quick glance in the shop:
While you can also buy these potions on the in-game marketplace, you can only do so if another player bought them for real money and then sold them. This brings us directly to Pay2Win number two: exchanging real money for in-game currency.
Yes, this exchange also exists in Guild Wars 2 or Lost Ark. But especially in Guild Wars 2, I managed to organize the maximum gear within a few days. I can no longer buy strength. And the strength in Lost Ark is limited, at least in organized PvP.
In Perfect World, this is not the case. PvP exists in the open world and also PvP for territories. In both cases, the equipment is king.
The equipment itself had properties that fully fall under Pay2Win during my time. Because to get the best gear in the game back then, you had to collect reputation. Or you could go directly to your bank account and buy the best equipment in the game.
Of course, this equipment also had to be upgraded. The best way to do this was with orbs from the shop, which guaranteed a 100% upgrade. Because luck is only for the low-income earners! For the best equipment, you would also end up paying significantly more than 100 euros per piece – if you are doing it, do it right!
The fourth aspect that I found negative was the pets for the Venomancer. You could tame some, but you could not tame some legendary monsters. They were only available for, if I remember correctly, around 200 euros in the shop.
And guess which ones were always required by group members in dungeons. Right….
Lose items in PvP
By the way, anyone who actively plays PvP in Perfect World can lose their items or even their equipped gear. This applies when you have fought hard for a high rank and tend to kill people who have a lower rank or have disabled PvP in the open world.
This, however, often does not apply to shop items. It states that they: “Will not be dropped upon death.”
Additionally, there is XP loss upon death unless you have an appropriate buff active from the shop.
It seems to have only gotten worse instead of better
I haven’t followed Perfect World for years. But through a thread in the MMORPG reddit, I became aware of the Pay2Win topic. Some mentioned Perfect World as a prime example of the MMORPG with the worst shop. And it seems to have gotten even worse in recent years.
The shop currently contains over 150 different items that you can buy with real money. Among these are:
- Dozens of packages with currencies, of which I have no idea how important they are
- Loot boxes that state that there is a chance for item X – but not what else you can get
- Packages for unlocking skills or glyphs
- Teleports to locations of my choice
- Titles that grant additional stats like +10 Physical and Magical Attack for 30 days
- XP boosters
- You can level up through boosts.
- You can buy and upgrade the strongest equipment directly. Generally, when it comes to upgrading, the chance of failure exists unless you rely on shop items.
- You can equip yourself with additional stats and potions and dominate in PvP.
- You can theoretically generate endless amounts of in-game currency.
- You can teleport anywhere, regardless of whether you have been there before.
- You can
In addition, there are a few armor skins, weapon skins, and mounts. The mounts start at a price of nearly 40 euros.
Certain titles provide you with additional stats for 30 days. On reddit, players report that the developers have even removed some intermediary levels in the drops, making it harder for free-to-play players to keep up with the equipment and almost forcing them to spend money. I can neither confirm nor deny this experience with the currently missing knowledge.
Perfect World has basically everything that is bad
Perfect World combines the worst from all games:
- You can level up through boosts.
- You can buy and upgrade the strongest equipment directly. Generally, when it comes to upgrading, the chance of failure exists unless you rely on shop items.
- You can equip yourself with additional stats and potions and dominate in PvP.
- You can theoretically generate endless amounts of in-game currency.
- You can teleport anywhere, regardless of whether you have been there before.
- You can
