Ghost Recon Breakpoint has only been playable for some players for a few days. Nonetheless, there is currently a topic that dominates many discussions in the community: microtransactions.
How does the shop work? Players can purchase “Ghost Coins” in various bundles from the Ghost Recon Breakpoint shop. The price is €4.99 for 600 coins (about €0.83 per 100 coins) up to €79.99 for 12,000 coins (about €0.66 per 100 coins).
With these coins, players can buy various items to customize their Ghost.
What can be purchased in the microtransactions? The Ghost Recon Breakpoint shop is quite extensive. The offerings include:
- Blueprints for weapons and attachments
- Cosmetics such as tattoos, costumes, and camo skins
- Gear
- Vehicles
- “Skell Credits”, the in-game currency
- a season pass
- Crafting materials
When Breakpoint launched on October 1 for owners of more expensive versions, there was also the option to purchase skill points and boosters for money. This option is currently no longer available.
Debate in the community: Is the shop bad or not?
What bothers players about the shop: Many people in the community are annoyed by the fact that there were so many items for purchase that could advance a character. One user posted screenshots of the shop on reddit on the first day, and many users complained about the offerings.
They perceived the purchasable items as a form of “pay-to-win,” meaning having to pay to make the game easier to beat. They especially drew comparisons to the PvP mode Ghost War, where players would have an advantage if they could simply buy all skills.
This opportunity, however, was already removed from the shop on the very first day after release.
Are “Games as a Service” the problem? Some reddit users see the problem generally in the way games function as a service in the current market:
Games as a Service is a terrible trend in the industry. It encourages these microtransactions as something that justifies “free” content updates.
Kalanth on reddit
Breakpoint actually already has a season pass, which leads to Ubisoft being accused of double dipping. It simply feels like Breakpoint was built “around the shop.”
The shop “helps no one”
What the opposition says: Many fans of the game who are annoyed by the harsh criticism see no problem at all with the microtransactions and the shop specifically. Nothing for sale would provide an advantage to a player, and character stats are disabled in PvP, meaning everyone starts on equal footing.
Additionally, everything that is available for purchase in the shop is also unlockable:
You can buy every scope, every weapon, and every upgrade from the store with Skell Credits. It’s not hard to find any blueprint, and it really doesn’t make sense to buy the packs unless you’re lazy.
MrPhyziks on reddit
In other reddit posts, players share screenshots of shop items they have found in the world. According to many players, the shop does not offer any distinct advantages, but merely the opportunity to save time.
Players are robbing themselves of fun: However, some users see this time-saving as something not worth striving for. Since Breakpoint primarily takes place in single-player or coop, progress is something that belongs to the game. Purchasing it robs oneself of playtime.
The dispute is even causing the lines between fans and critics to harden further:
Watch out, the people here love spreading misinformation and claiming everything is hidden behind a paywall and there is no other way to get it. When you debate those folks, their inner man-baby comes out, and they accuse you of being a Ubi developer.
ImmortalHitman720 on reddit
What do you think about the shop in Breakpoint?
