Hellblade 2 was finally released a few days ago, after many years of waiting. While the game was rated 8.0 through critic reviews on Metacritic, the gaming community’s reception has been very mixed, for the most part.
One of the biggest issues seems to be the price of the game. After a user of r/IndianGaming brought up how different the prices are in INR vs. USD, people are infuriated at the audacity of the pricing, especially when accounting for the game’s length.
Gamers Feel Hellblade 2 Is Priced Too High
Released on the 21st of this month, Hellblade 2 has been the subject of much discourse in the gaming community. Among debates over what constitutes a game, the need for sequels, Ninja Theory’s future, and so on, pricing is a major issue.
In a post made on the r/IndianGaming subreddit, one user brought to people’s attention a chart from SteamDB showcasing the game’s price in different currencies and the suggested pricing amount according to Valve’s system.
Senua’s Saga : Hellblade II on Steam cost MORE in INR than USD
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The game is currently valued at 4399 INR, while Valve’s suggested pricing values it at 2000 INR. To put that into perspective, India’s minimum wage is around 178 INR per day, or 5340 INR a month. (via India Briefing)
Technically, gaming can be considered a luxury rather than a necessity, so not everyone can afford it. What seems to upset people, however, is the game being valued higher in weaker currencies compared to the USD.
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byu/megaapple from discussion
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Additionally, there are many complaints listed in the thread specifically regarding the playtime of the game. Many users question how a 5-6 hour game can be listed for so high.
While these prices were listed before release, checking SteamDB today reveals that there’s not been a difference in price post-release.
INR is one of the most expensive currencies to purchase Hellblade 2 in, with the Ukrainian Hryvnia, Kuwaiti Dinar, and Peruvian Sol being some of the cheapest (priced around 2000 INR).
Greedy Microsoft, charging 70 usd for this game
byu/DaxMoon inhellblade
It’s not just Indians upset with the pricing; a user in Mexico complained about being charged inflated prices for a short game.
What’s the Controversy Around Hellblade 2?
One of our writers recently reviewed the new Hellblade and had a lot of good things to say about it. While others also voiced similar opinions, some felt the complete opposite. To say the overall sentiment for the game is mixed is an understatement.
A big piece of criticism for the game seems to revolve around the fact that it’s more of an experience, rather than a game.
David Jaffe, the director of the original God of War, slammed the game for being “pretentious“ and “oppressive” with its vibe.
On the flip side, one of its facets that many seem to praise is the visuals; they’re some of the best work you’ve probably seen in this generation of games so far, and if it’s any indicator of the future, we can’t wait to see more games with this level of visuals come out.
Of course, not everyone feels the same. If you’ve played the game, we’d love to know your thoughts about it in the comments below!
