In Apex Legends there was still trouble about microtransactions on Sunday. After the mood boiled over on Friday, another developer is now commenting on reddit regarding the criticism of the expensive skins of “Iron Crown”. He said he is personally annoyed by how players demand to get everything for free. Even if they find the skins too expensive, that is no reason for insults.
Who is speaking? Carlos Pineda, who is a Senior Game Designer at Respawn, speaks out. He has worked on Apex Legends and Titanfall 2. Previously, he was involved with Infinity Ward on Call of Duty: Ghosts and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
He has ensured that in Apex Legends you can now express “You’re welcome” through an emote.
After Project Lead Drew McCoy called the players of Apex Legends “freeloaders” on skins of the “Iron Crown” event.
Apex Legends has already apologized for the skins in loot boxes and announced changes – but complaints from fans continue unabated.
There’s already so much for free
This is what he says: Pineda strikes a more conciliatory tone than his colleague on Friday. At its core, however, he expresses a similar sentiment. Pineda says (via reddit):
“The thing that personally annoys me are all the people who demand more free stuff in a free update. Solos are free. The map update is free. The challenges and rewards are free. When people demand even more for free, it’s quite fucked up.”
According to Pineda, some people alone in the current thread on reddit are demanding that skins should be earnable for free.
If it’s too expensive, just don’t buy it
This is the solution: According to Pineda, there is a simple solution to the problem.
“You spend your money the way you deem fair. That doesn’t bother me. It’s part of how the economy functions in a free-to-play game.
When it comes to price gouging – what also bothers me is when people kick and scream that things are too expensive. Let’s assume the skins actually are too expensive – does that give people the right to kick us and call us ‘greedy pigs’?
I think a lot of things are too expensive, but I don’t yell at people because of that.”
According to Pineda, it’s okay to say “That thing is too expensive, I’m not buying it.”
But “That thing is too expensive, so fuck you, you greedy pigs” is not okay.
Developers speak plainly – and emotionally
This is what’s special: What stands out is that the developers speak on reddit in the same tone as the players.
Things are not “annoying and need to be changed” – rather, things are “fucked up.”
This brings an emotionality that is not accustomed in the exchange between players and developers. Respawn is considered a “different gaming studio” – apparently, they are currently also fostering a different communication culture outwardly. Here, it is not the community managers who speak, but the developers.
Whether this will remain or change again after the exciting weekend remains to be seen.
Read more about the background of the current conflict in Apex Legends regarding the skins of the “Iron Crown” event here:
