Uncharted 4’s lead multiplayer designer Robert Cogburn confirmed this in an interview with GameSpot, explaining that “microtransactions will be available at launch” but “no gameplay items will be gated through microtransactions.” Cogburn says that although microtransactions can be used to gain access to gameplay items (such as guns and upgrades) these will all be purchasable with in-game currency, so if the player doesn’t want to spend anything extra, they won’t have to.
Cogburn also reveals that the upcoming Uncharted 4 beta will offer a chance for Naughty Dog to find the right balance between the in-game currency grind and “incentivizing real-money acquisitions.” While using real data seems like the best way to do this (in Naughty Dog’s eyes at least), others may argue that the beta, which lasts just seven days, isn’t long enough for the developer to make any major decisions.
Many fans, who are already unhappy with the multiplayer mode’s lack of dedicated servers, have lashed out against the announcement. They argue that a game that they pay full price for should not be engineered in such a way that they have to ‘grind’ for virtual currency just to gain access to more features. Other games to suffer backlash for this include Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and Rise of the Tomb Raider, and while neither of these games have gotten rid of microtransactions because of the criticism, the negative sentiment does appear to be growing.
However, some fans have come up with a solution that could be a win-win for both Uncharted 4 players and Naughty Dog. These fans suggest that instead of letting people pay for access to guns and upgrades, the developer could offer purely cosmetic packs instead. Pointing to games like League of Legends, which charges for character skins, they say that at least this way microtransactions would feel completely optional. It would also help Naughty Dog avoid any ‘pay to win’ accusations as well, as Halo 5: Guardians did when its microtransactions were revealed, but it’s yet to be seen if the developer will consider going this route.
What do you think of Uncharted 4’s microtransactions? Do you think that Naughty Dog should offer paid character skins instead? Leave a comment and let us know.
