It has been revealed that the developers of Moonbreaker will be removing microtransactions from their newly released game. This along with the complete overhaul of their business model comes after a bit of backlash with how they decided to use monetization.
If you can think back to Gamescom 2022, you will remember the Iconic Brandon Sanderson, author of fantasy writings such as The Stormlight Archives and Mistborn, announcing the game Moonbreaker. The visuals and gameplay had miniatures fans on the edge of their seats, waiting to hear a release date. Not only did we get a release date, but we also got one that was within the year, which was exciting. The game launched into Early Access on September 29, 2022, and people couldn't wait to dive in. That was until they realized how heavily monetized the game was and the vast amount of microtransactions that made the game feel like success was completely based on RNG.
Not only did these microtransactions turn players away, but it stopped the devs from being able to make the much-needed improvements to the game itself. That being said, as of today, October 26, 2022, the developers have announced that they will be completely changing their business model due to consumer feedback; at least for Early Access. What we mean by that is that the post states these are changes being implemented as of right now, in the early access version, and does not specify whether or not this will change due to more consumer feedback in the future, or upon full release of the game.
Pulsars, Boosters, and Blanks will be completely removed from the game, which is a good start. Pulsars were the game's hard currency used to purchase in-game items during the initial stages of early access, and those who already purchased their fair share will automatically be refunded for the Pulsars. Blanks and Merits will be replaced by Sparks, which are used to upgrade a unit's rarity. The devs do make sure to specify that rarity has nothing to do with the gameplay, and is purely cosmetic.
This is not the first update revolving around currency that the game has seen. Earlier this month, the devs decided to remove Cargo Run Contracts from the game entirely, which stopped players from reaching the single-player story content unless they completed a certain set of quests and contracts. For those who purchased Pulsars or Blanks in order to expedite the Contract process, they were given full refunds for the transactions that took place prior to the update.
For those who purchased the Founders pack, there are two options to choose from in regards to compensation; players can receive the new Zax and Slopper Skin that are releasing with the game's first content patch, or if they would rather a refund, they can choose that option as well. While this may not bring the players back immediately, it is a step in the right direction for Unknown Worlds. Currently, the game is available for Early Access on Steam, and the first update, Zax's Story, will release tomorrow, October 27, 2022. To read the full devs note about the model change, head over to the game's official Steam page.
