Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have removed paid XP boosts after just a month in Marvel’s Avengers following backlash from fans.
Last month, XP boosts were added to Marvel’s Avengers, despite promises that the game would only feature cosmetic extras via the in-game store. During a 2019 interview with gamesindustry.biz, Square Enix head of studio, Scott Amos said: “In terms of how we monetise, we’ll have cosmetics. No gameplay paywalls.”
Furthermore, during a Square Enix presentation at E3 2019, Senior Community Manager Meagan Marie also stated: “Our promise to the community is that we won’t have random loot boxes or pay-to-win scenarios.”
Understandably, fans were not happy. In my opinion, it was naive of Square Enix to think that this would fly under the radar. Fans made their voices heard, though a line was crossed when threats were made.
“We apologize for not responding sooner to your concerns about the addition of paid consumables in the Marketplace,” reads a statement shared on the game’s Twitter account.
The XP boosts only lasted a month!
“We introduced them as an option for an evolving player-base and did not see them as pay-to-win since they don’t offer power directly. After considering your feedback, we have decided that by the end of today we will remove Hero’s Catalysts and Fragment Extractors for purchase. They will continue to be earnable rewards and those already earned are still useable.“
“We hope this can be the first step in rebuilding your confidence in us as a team. It continues to be our goal to make the very best game possible,” concluded Square Enix.
So, there you have it, Square Enix has now removed the XP boosts from Marvel’s Avengers. Are you happy that Square Enix has made the decision to backtrack on the broken promise? Let us know across our social media channels.
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Featured Image Credit: Square Enix/Crystal Dynamics