On Tuesday, Konami released the November patch for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. The patch includes the ability for players to build a 3rd FOB, updates to stealth mode in infiltration missions, a new look for the PF rating screen and most importantly; a suite of level 7 items and "online development items" which heavily incentivize microtransactions from players.
From the Konami patch notes;
The update also features new weapons and items to help turn missions in your favor.
Following on from the addition of the current highest development grade (Grade 7), you will now be able to develop Grade 8 equipment as well.
Grade 8 equipment are also classified as new online development items, or items that continue the development process even while you are away from your game system or PC.You can also use earned MB Coins to shorten the development time.
Before this patch, ~3 hours was the longest any research project took to develop. These new "online development items" are researched like any other item, but can take between anywhere from 4 t0 12 days to fully research. These new items also require players to have an incredibly high rank in their research department before development can even be started; requiring either an absurd amount of grinding or purchasing another FOB with the microtransaction system.
The news of this patch has gotten a strong reaction in the MGS community, with Metal Gear Solid fans on Reddit accusing Konami of using the patch to push microtransactions on the playerbase. Some have defended Konami, stating that gating content with time or grinding isn't wrong, while others have pointed to the patch making grinding even more arduous as signs of Konami's ill intent.
It's not all doom and gloom for Metal Gear Solid fans however. Also new in this patch is the ability to get Quiet back as a companion after the end of her storyline.
If you beat "A Quiet Exit" seven times, "Replay" will become "Reunion" and Quiet will again become available as a companion
Quick Take
I did the TechRaptor Review of Metal Gear Solid V and heaped praise on it. On the subject of the microtransaction structure, I said
Much ink was spilled pre-launch about the ridiculous looking microtransaction system for FOB resources, but I’m happy to say it can easily be ignored and you are never prompted to start shelling out money.
This was a common theme in many reviews "we thought they were egregious, but the microtransactions aren't that bad". So to see a microtransaction system kicked into high gear months after all the reviews have come out makes me feel like a bit of a sucker. I wish it wasn't so easy to believe the rumors about Konami attempting to squeeze all the money out of Metal Gear Solid before they turn it into a pachinko machine.
I do like the ability to get Quiet back though.
