This came as a surprise and caught some members of the community of the Selective Multiplayer RPG Shroud of the Avatar off guard: From now on, players can purchase an in-game currency for real money.
The Gold Crowns of the Obsidians are available in the addon store for prices ranging from 5 dollars for five coins to 85 dollars for 100 coins. With these coins, players can buy potions in-game that provide certain bonuses. Additionally, players can use the coins to enhance the durability of items such as armor and weapons. However, it is also possible to find the Gold Crowns of the Obsidians in-game. Some enemies can carry the coins as loot, but the drop rate is rather low.
No joy regarding the in-game currency
The announcement naturally led to heated discussions. Many show understanding, assuming that the developers want to ensure the continued funding of Shroud of the Avatar. However, there are also many critical voices. Shroud of the Avatar is still far from completion. In two months, the final wipe is scheduled, after which the game will go live. However, it will still not be “finished”. Nevertheless, the game is already being sold at full price.
Opinions may vary, but the developers must find a way to ensure they raise enough funds for ongoing development. Moreover, players can purchase houses, cities, property deeds, exclusive items, and decorative items for money through the addon store. And now they have introduced the in-game currency. For many, Shroud of the Avatar is becoming a bottomless pit into which they can throw more and more money – all while the game is still not finished.
Grinding becomes more important
Another point of criticism is that grinding in the game is apparently being further supported. Gold Crowns of the Obsidians will be very important for many players as they can buy some advantages with them. However, many may not want to spend money on these coins but rather earn them in-game. Due to the drop rate, this can only be done through excessive grinding – and this, despite Richard “Lord British” Garriott stating at the beginning of the project that he wanted to avoid grinding.
However, the developers are aware that they are walking on a tightrope and will carefully consider the significance of the newly introduced in-game currency in Shroud of the Avatar, especially since the game is currently facing some criticism – looking at the reviews on Steam, Shroud of the Avatar is in the red, and especially the most recent reviews are “Mostly Negative”.
They want to have “as little Pay2Win as possible” in the game and focus fully on fairness. This also means that the value of the currency should be determined solely in-game by the players. Portalarium still has a lot of work ahead to restore the game’s reputation, and whether the introduction of the in-game currency will be helpful is rather doubtful – even if it makes sense from an economic standpoint.
