According to Ubisoft’s Natchai Stappers, The Division will be completely without microtransactions. However, this statement should be taken with caution.
Currently, it seems that Ubisoft is doing a lot right with The Division – at least the publisher is intensively trying to satisfy future agents: In an open beta shortly before release, everyone got a chance to see if the game convinced them to purchase it, the servers seem to be running optimally, and even with the server launch, Ubisoft ensures order and fairness.
What about microtransactions?
Now, community manager Natchai Stappers stated via Twitter that there will be no microtransactions at all. Microtransactions are a very controversial topic in the gamer community. But since Ubisoft wants to “definitely” prevent Pay-to-Win and agents will therefore have to earn their successes themselves, this should satisfy most casual agents.
Stappers happily tweeted that the “Phoenix Credits” will also be exclusively available through gameplay, and more information in this regard will follow. Some beta testers have noticed the existence of “Phoenix Credits,” which initially appeared to be a currency that could be purchased with real money.
In the summer of 2014, Ubisoft still spoke of microtransactions that were meant to accelerate player progress. However, this statement was retracted by creative director Magnus Jansen in January 2016. There will be no “shortcuts” through microtransactions. And now, according to Stappers, there are to be no microtransactions at all?
There will “definitely be no Pay-to-Win”
With The Division, Ubisoft would now be taking a different path than with blockbuster games like Rainbow Six or Assassin’s Creed, which offer microtransactions. However, it should be noted that initially, Destiny also mentioned that there would be no microtransactions. In the meantime, an in-game shop has been introduced where players can purchase gestures and dances. While it’s not Pay2Win, it still qualifies as microtransactions.
Furthermore, Stappers’ Twitter message should be taken with caution, as he clarified just an hour later. He said he forgot that people are so eager for information that he needs to be more careful with his statements.
“Sorry guys, I should be more careful.”
It is therefore important to note: There will definitely be no Pay-to-Win. Whether microtransactions in the form of cosmetics will find their way into The Division is still not definitively clarified.
You can view more about microtransactions in full-priced titles here.
On March 8, The Division will be released for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. To bridge the waiting time, we have a tasty gameplay trailer for you here.
