MultiVersus charges to buy extra lives using real money was a bug, claims developer, Player First Games.
The recent re-release of MultiVersus has generated considerable buzz, however, not all of it is positive. While the game has garnered praise, its business model has come under intense scrutiny. A particularly controversial issue arose when players discovered an option to purchase extra lives in the game using real money, a feature the developer, Player First Games, claims was a bug.
The Controversy and Developer’s Response on MultiVersus Charges to Buy Extra Lives Bug
In the game’s single-player mode, Rifts, players encountered the toughest difficulty level, called Looney, which was not supposed to be available until July 10, 2024.
Due to a glitch, some players accessed Looney mode early and found that they could purchase extra lives for 49 Gleamium, roughly equivalent to $0.50 per life. This revelation sparked outrage among the community, who felt the game was leaning heavily towards a pay-to-win model.
Player First Games quickly responded to the backlash, stating on their official Twitter and social media channels that the ability to buy extra lives was a “bug” and not an intended feature. They assured players that the issue had been addressed in the latest update.
“We’d also like to let you know that the option to purchase extra lives is a bug that has been addressed and is not an intended feature in the game.” the developer posted.
Despite the developer’s claims, many players remain skeptical. The presence of UI text explaining the purchase of extra lives as a feature seems more deliberate than accidental. It suggests that Player First Games may have initially planned to include this feature but decided against it at the last minute, possibly due to anticipated backlash.
This theory is supported by the fact that the feature was discovered only because players accessed the Looney difficulty early through a glitch. Many believe the developer should have acknowledged the feature as a mistake rather than labeling it a bug, which would have preserved more goodwill among the player base.
In addition to addressing the extra lives controversy, Player First Games has promised various improvements and new features for MultiVersus. Updates will include performance enhancements, end-of-game stats, the option to turn off team colors, and other gameplay refinements. The Iron Giant, a popular character, is also slated to return to the game soon.
Overall, the talk about the extra lives microtransactions in MultiVersus highlights the challenges developers face in balancing monetization with player satisfaction. While Player First Games has moved quickly to rectify the difficulty, it would be exciting to see how the devs work in the future and how they implement their monetization practices.
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