The Dragon’s Dogma 2 launch has to be one of the quickest falls from grace in gaming history. Having been a long-awaited title, players simply couldn’t wait to dive into the colossal action-RPG. It even scored excellently across the board, currently sitting at an 87 on Metacritic.
However, as soon as the game was made available to players, the bitter truth came out. PC optimization was awful, but the hidden microtransactions were worse, dragging DD2‘s Steam reviews to ‘Mostly Negative’. Many claim that even something as basic as character customization requires real-world currency purchases. However, a closer look reveals that may not be true.
Character Customization Is Earnable Through Gameplay
When it was discovered that Dragon’s Dogma 2 featured microtransactions, several fans were aghast to find that staple RPG features like altering your character’s appearance were on the list. This bred the notion that the feature was locked behind microtransactions and couldn’t be acquired through in-game progression.
However, that notion has been debunked, since DD2 does offer players the option to customize their character’s appearance. An X/Twitter user called out the misinformation with a gameplay video that proves you don’t need to purchase MTX to edit your character’s appearance.
Twitter Bullshit: You have to pay to change your character's appearance in Dragon's Dogma 2
Reality: The first city you visit, 30-60 minutes if you rush, you can buy the item for next to nothing. pic.twitter.com/NDfcdFuDRe
— Blaine Smith (@GHBSmith) March 22, 2024
A Reddit post in the r/DragonsDogma community also proves this, with precise steps to obtaining the in-game item – a book – that facilitates character editing, entirely through gameplay means. The book is purchasable with 500 Rift Crystals, an alternate currency in the game. It allows character alteration once, and can be rebought if needed.
While the initial cost of 500 RC might seem daunting at the outset, it’s readily obtainable after about 30–60 minutes of playtime. Early quests and activities can quickly generate this amount, making character customization an achievable goal within Vernworth, DD2‘s first major city.
Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Currencies Explained
Another point of confusion surrounds the distinction between in-game currency and microtransactions. DD2 utilizes two separate currencies – gold and Rift Crystals. The former is the more standard currency, whereas Rift Crystals, are specifically used for Pawn-related mechanics.
Perhaps most importantly, DD2 adopts a philosophy where all MTX items can be acquired through traditional gameplay. This means players have the option to explore the expansive world, complete quests, and defeat bosses to obtain items like Wakestones and Rift Crystals, as opposed to spending real money.
Content creators with significant playtime have reported achieving this without resorting to microtransactions, even after exceeding 100 hours of gameplay. Additionally, the community is fostering a helpful environment, with players sharing tips like locating vendors who sell the character customization item using in-game Rift Crystals.
The early wave of online discourse surrounding DD2‘s microtransactions highlights the importance of checking the facts. Gaming communities online thrive on passionate engagement, especially on Twitter, but it’s vital to verify claims before forming opinions, or worse, propagating them.
In this instance, a closer look reveals a system that prioritizes player agency, allowing for both in-game acquisition and optional microtransaction purchases for those who choose to utilize them. Capcom adding MTX to a $70 game is bad, make no mistake, but levying accurate criticism is the first crucial step to change.
