Destiny 2 had just launched, and the community had already found something to be upset about: an item in the cash shop with supposed effects on player strength. For some, this microtransaction was enough to cry “Pay2Win”.
King Gothalion had the right instinct yesterday at 2 PM and launched Destiny 2 on a whim. The popular streamer was indeed able to log in because he had a disc version, and was one of the first to enter Destiny 2 publicly.
Gothalion quickly sparked the first mini shitstorm that crept into the press, on PcGamesn.
Microtransaction: What people are currently upset about in Destiny 2
Gothalion discovered the contents of the Destiny 2 cash shop, the Eververse, and found “Bright Engrams” that players can purchase for silver, the premium currency.
The prices are not entirely clear yet, but it seems you get about 5 Bright Engrams for 8 to 10€, depending on what pack you buy.
These Bright Engrams are the “loot boxes” in Destiny 2.
Now the mini-scandal: Some items from these “Bright Engrams” can be used to customize the Guardian’s equipment. When decrypted, they yield, among other things, modifiers:
- An armor mod to reduce the cooldown of a skill
- An armor mod to improve a character stat
- A weapon mod to enhance a stat on a weapon
- And a weapon mod to change the element of an energy or power weapon
The reason for the outrage is that nothing should be sold in the Destiny 2 cash shop that affects gameplay. That’s why there was mild annoyance.
Bungie had presented the Bright Engrams differently
These Engrams did not come out of nowhere; they were discovered during the playtesting. It was also known that the cash shop Tess would probably sell them, as she is the one who decrypts these Bright Engrams.
It was also roughly known that the Engrams are loot boxes like in Overwatch. It was stated that Bungie considers the contents of the Engrams to be “purely cosmetic”. Items within give players the opportunity to customize their heroes.
One would have thought that only shaders, ghost shells, and similar items could emerge from the “white Engrams”.
And that is indeed the case: There are gestures, sparrows, ships, but also these mods.
Therefore, the Bright Engrams are probably not a huge reason for concern
That would indeed be a valid reason to be upset about the cash shop and to write about Pay2Win.
However: The “Bright Engrams” are not only available in the cash shop but also from other sources. Guardians are supposed to receive one every time the EXP bar is full after level 20. There are also other sources for receiving them.
It could be quite possible that soon players will be flooded with these white Engrams, just as it was with light particles in Destiny 1.
Delay the shitstorm for now
The current questions are:
- What is the demand for these Bright Engrams?
- How much do you really need the modifiers for a gameplay advantage?
- And how easily can you obtain the Bright Engrams?
- How often is there really a modifier in such a Bright Engram?
Until we have answers to these questions, it would be wise to postpone the Pay2Win shitstorm for now.
Sensitive topic
Mein MMO thinks: This is such a typical thing of our time. On the NeoGAF forum, pitchforks were immediately pulled out and bonfires were lit. Players are rightly very sensitive when it comes to cash shops in games and what can be bought there.
It remains to be seen how it will play out in practice and how it will affect the gameplay. Earning and buying loot boxes is generally okay – as long as they are really “100% cosmetic.” However, things like “You can change the element of your weapon” – should actually not be in loot boxes. That Bungie is withholding such information in advance is not very classy.
Aftertaste of “No more random rolls on weapons”
But: It’s really not that clean. And it puts a lot of things in a different light.
Now there’s an aftertaste that Luke Smith didn’t want to talk about how Bungie intended to compensate for the missing random rolls on weapons . At the time, it was said that they had an idea, but didn’t want to introduce it yet because they weren’t sure if it would make it into the game. Now it looks as if: They didn’t want to introduce it because it had to do with the cash shop in Destiny 2 and microtransactions.
More about the Bright Engrams:
Destiny 2: Bright Engrams for XP – experience points are always worth it
