Marvel’s Avengers Adds Paid XP Boosters, Angering Players

Marvel Avengers Now sells XP boosters – paid consumables called Hero’s Catalysts in the in-game market – as part of a Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics game update that launched on Thursday. Change doesn’t go well with Marvel’s Avengers gamers, who say the developer reneged on its promise to only offer paid microtransactions for cosmetic items, like skins and other frills.

The latest patch for Marvel Avengers updated the in-game market to add a consumable category, which now sells Hero Catalysts and Fragment Extractors, two consumable items that already existed in the game. Previously, the Market only sold cosmetic items, such as costumes and emotes.

“You can buy a consumable that lasts for one day for 100 credits, for three days for 250 credits or for seven days for 500 credits,” the developer explained on his blog announcing the market change. (Square Enix currently sells a 500-credit pack for $ 4.99, while the more expensive pack, at $ 99.99, offers 13,000 credits.)

Image: Crystal Dynamics / Square Enix

The game’s new consumable purchases quickly angered parts of the Marvel’s Avengers player base, who say Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics “destroyed player confidence” and “broke promises on pay-to-win mechanisms” by selling consumables. Many point to the game’s recent addition to Xbox Game Pass as a catalyst to sell consumable XP boosters to a new audience.

Marvel AvengersThe consumable XP boosters follow a change in in-game experience gain that Crystal Dynamics rolled out earlier this year. In March, the developer said it was slowing down XP gain (and therefore how quickly players upgraded their Avengers heroes) to avoid overwhelming players.

“The problem we were seeing and hearing was that you immediately got more skill points than you had time to review, apply, and get used to, before embarking on your next mission and hitting your mark. next levels, ”said Crystal Dynamics. at the time.

More important, it seems, for angry gamers, is what appears to be the developer and publisher giving up on a promise. “We are also committed to ensuring that content can be purchased for real money in Marvel Avengers will be cosmetic additions only, which will ensure that we can keep the game fresh for years to come, ”Crystal Dynamics said in August 2020, just before the game’s launch.

Polygon has contacted publisher Square Enix for comment and will update when the company responds.