Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the sequel to the 2012 title developed by Capcom. The game launched on March 22, 2024, and players looking forward to the title seem disappointed for various reasons. First of all, the performance issues that the game has on PC have been ruining gamers’ experiences.
Secondly, players seem to be deeply frustrated with another element in the game: the developer’s insistence on putting in microtransactions in a single-player video game. These microtransactions have also been cleverly termed DLC on the game’s official product page on Steam, leading to widespread outrage.
Microtransactions in Dragon’s Dogma 2 Are Making Players Bitter
For some context, one should be aware that as and when the game launched on Steam, various in-game purchases in the form of DLC went live alongside it. The microtransactions in the game cover everything from Explorer’s Camping Kit, which weighs significantly less than the others, to a reasonable change in the soundtrack and a tool that helps lure winged creatures for faster travel.
Various gamers were visibly livid with the game’s state. One of them was Yong Yea, the voice actor known for voicing Kazuma Kiryu in Like a Dragon. He took to his public X account to express himself and said that:
Other gamers voiced their opinions on the title and how it was riddled with microtransactions. Some gamers even stated that they were playing an inferior version of the game unless they paid the developer additional money on top of the already hefty $70 price tag.
One such gamer posted this on X regarding the title being a single-player one but still being loaded with tons of microtransactions:
While incorporating mtx isn’t a practice alien to the industry, one can argue that having them directly influences one’s experience because the studio lacks faith in the title’s gameplay loop. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been required for user retention.
What Capcom Said About the Messy State of Dragon’s Dogma 2
Apart from that, in-game items that alter one’s pawns’ behavior and allow one to customize their character are also behind a paywall, seemingly atrocious by the developer. When the outrage reached the developer, it sparked a response, and a blog post was published.
The entire blog post was published on the game’s product page and can be read here, but in essence, it stated that the team was working behind the scenes to ensure that the performance issues were fixed. Also, the blog stated that all items available behind a paywall were obtainable in-game and weren’t exclusive to users who paid for them.
Furthermore, it was stated that the option to start a new game would be added to the title shortly; players eager to start a new storyline can delete their saved game and start from scratch. What do you think of the title and the flak it is receiving? Do you think the studio is being fair with in-game purchases, or is it just another example of greed? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
