WildStar is getting a new in-game shop with the Free2Play transition – but how will it affect the power dynamics? Will the MMORPG be Pay2Win?
The usual concerns
In just under 10 days, the launch of WildStar: Reloaded will take place. It brings not only many new features and the long-requested Free2Play but also a new in-game shop. But what will be offered there? Do paying players get significant advantages that make them more powerful? Will the new WildStar be Pay2Win? We take a brief look at the in-game shop in its current version.
Two currencies – one shop
If you take a look at the new shop, you will quickly notice that most items are offered with two currencies. The first is clear and known from other games: Ncoin. It can be purchased directly for real money and is also used in other NCsoft games – so it is cross-game usable. The second currency is called “Omnibits” and only appears in WildStar. The best part: Players earn them for everyday activities. Visiting dungeons, completing daily quests, or farming can grant these coins – dedicated players can buy items from the shop without spending money, but they will need more time than players who opt for real money.
What does the shop offer?
The offerings in the in-game shop are likely familiar to most MMORPG players: There are various boosters (which increase the drop rates of resources and experience). Fairly, it must be said that these have been available for purchase since the game’s launch – for a currency that hardly anyone used. Besides housing items, special costumes for characters, and some other visual upgrades that provide no gameplay advantage, there are also unlocks. Similar to SWTOR, you can acquire new character slots or greater access to the auction house here. Here lies the only real major criticism for F2P players: They only have access to creating 3 auctions simultaneously. Presumably, one will buy an increase of 50 slots as soon as the necessary Omnibits have been farmed.
There are also items with which runes can be recovered from weapons and armor, and these could be directly converted into gold – whether this will sustainably harm the game’s economy remains to be seen.
The YouTuber Fevir has introduced the new shop in a short video that we don’t want to withhold from you:
All of this leads to the conclusion that one cannot really speak of Pay2Win in WildStar. Please keep in mind that the facts mentioned here are still from the test server – a last-minute change from Carbine would of course be possible, though unpredictable (and it would likely damage the studio’s reputation).
