I’ve been thinking about the B-word lately–that’s right, “Battlepass.” Wait! Don’t go!
The idea of accomplishing goals and showing off those accomplishments is a really neat feeling, and the journey that they put you on can give you reasons to experiment outside of your normal playstyle when you aren’t farming Wings of Argentus. A lot of the hate for these things comes from the FOMO of having to devote yourself hardcore to the game for a concentrated amount of time or you feel like you’ve burned your cash on a missed opportunity, but it doesn’t need to be like that! Halo Infinite battlepasses have no time limits, so you get around to unlocking things whenever you get around to unlocking things.
Cosmetics are neat, and I look forward to purchasing them in the store, but there’s a different feeling that comes from seeing a player in MTX gear vs gear you know was a real challenge to get. I’d like to see something like a battlepass for different areas of the game, or different classes, with stuff like unlockable cosmetics, portraits, and titles that say “This player did a cool thing!”
Of course, they should be retroactive, so a player can think “Oh, I’ve got 70% of the arena pass done, might as well purchase it and get the Bloodied Gladiator portrait frame”. I would love a battlepass that unlocked boss-themed cosmetics if you beat their timelines at high corruption, or a battlepass that emphasizes oddball playstyles with off-meta build achievements; something that encourages new ways to approach LE for those of us who’ve beaten the campaign and empowered timelines a few dozen times already.
We could not only support content development, but can also show off our skill in a way simple MTX doesn’t convey.
Have you ever subscribed to a battlepass?
If so, what are some of the things you liked about the experience, and what are some examples of good rewards?
If not, how would you improve the battlepass experience?
Oh please no. IMO paid for battle passes in games that have a box price are merely cynical attempts to further lighten a player’s wallet (and I’m a soulless corporate accountant). It’s different in a f2p game as the devs have to pay for everything somehow, though that can often devolve into a shameless cash grab very easily.
And yes, I am aware that they are “optional” just like the packs we can buy. Is it worth giving players more options to support the devs? Maybe. But I’d probably be concerned about the pricing when comparing it to the current methods of support (ie, how much would the mtx/whatever that you could get via the battlepass cost compared to the existing packs).
Would you feel differently if the pass was cheaper than the combined selling price of a comparable number of cosmetic MTX in the shop?
What would make a battlepass system (play to earn rewards) interesting or fair to you?
What is the specific problem you have about how games currently implement battlepasses?
What if the pass gave no gameplay advantages and only unlocked cosmetic rewards after completing an in-game achievement?
I don’t like Battlepasses because they are mostly badly implemented and the first step to more “pay for whatever” crap. They should sell more cosmetics because that’s the way the game stays afloat.
On top of it I don’t like “login even if you don’t like to and play content you don’t like just to fill a bar to get a new hat at the end of the pass” gameplay loop.
I think they should make their money with neat skins people want to buy for sane prices to sell more. I don’t see the need of a battlepass that offers cosmetics when cosmetics are the only source of income they have. If you make a typical Battlepass every level offering something and there are 2 ways to approach it… fill it with stuff and make it so expensive almost nooone can pay it or throw in some “useless” fillers like runes or random uniques or such crap that offbalances everything.
Most payed battlepasses offer stuff people are jealeous about and fear they miss something if they don’t buy it and that’s always a bad thing even if it’s profitable.
I’d simply like to see more cosmetic options awaylable for everyone in the shop so people can buy it or leave it without a battlepass that restrict how you play and approach a game.
I won’t pay for anything in game that isn’t a cosmetic, pure and simple.
And it’ll really irk me if anything ‘in-game’ that is playable content is locked behind a payment.
I decided to actually play Diablo Immortal now. Not paying a cent of it and I ignore anything that shows dollar signs. I’m enjoying it so far, for what it is, and I will most likely drop 6.99 or a 9.99 item (what most buy it once apps are) because I want to pay for something I enjoy, but I will not engage in free to play, pay to win, or this content can only be played if you pay, models.
I will, however, buy the heck out of cosmetics. And I also like to buy copies of games I like and give them away. I have everything for Grim Dawn and I think I’ve probably given away a half dozen or more copies to people.
I will do the same for LE
DISLAIMER: The above opinion in no way reflects the opinions of the site it’s posted on or anyone else on that site or anyone else in the world for that matter. I take full responsibility for an knuckle-headed thing I say or think up.
I think one major issue is that battle passes core design is FOMO and my impression is that most LE players are over 30, have a job and responsibilities and are, thus, not very enthusiastic about it.
