Last week, we told you that PayDay 2 developer Overkill had surreptitiously snuck a microtransaction system in to the game, one that allows for drills, purchased in game, to crack open safes that yield items with a real-world value on Steam’s marketplace.
After the active Payday 2 community revolted, Overkill reneged a little, by releasing a patch that made the requisite drill to sometimes drop as loot, mitigating the need to shell necessarily out money for them. That wasn’t really enough for long-time fans, especially given that in the past, Overkill had promised it would never riddle the game with microtransactions.
In a reddit AMA, Overkill producer Almir Listo (via Destructoid) sought to clear everything up. It’s had the opposite effect though, and fans are more furious than ever. The gist of it is that PayDay 2’s microtransactions are here, and they’re here to stay.
Listo took the pure PR route in his AMA, deflecting serious questions with what can only be called babble, blaming the media for sensationalising the game’s transactions, and confirming that the microtransactions are starting to earn the company money.
“We understand that there is a lot of fury, anger and disappointment with us adding this. From an economical standpoint however, completely based on statistics, we can already see that the Black Market update is working as we intended.”
He also says that it’s okay to have pay to win stuff in the game, because it’s not competitive. Because you’re working as a team, any sort of bonuses your team mates get help you as well.
“There are several arguments as to why we think stat boosts are OK to have in PAYDAY 2, and here are three; – The game is balanced around the vanilla experience, that is, the game without any DLC.
When we add any new difficulties, enemies, features, heists or otherwise, we balance this in relation to the base game. – PAYDAY 2 is a player-versus-environment game. You and your three friends play together against the AI; you lose together and you win together. Any advantage your friends have will only benefit the success of the group. – Making sure that the boosts are balanced in such a way that it doesn’t impare on the player’s experience. This is an ongoing effort on our side.”
Which just doesn’t cut it for me, to be honest. I don’t play PayDay 2 – but I wouldn’t want my team mates to have unnatural bonuses and stat boosts, because it ruins the balance of the game, whether its competitive or not.
Do you still play PayDay 2? What are your thoughts on the game’s microtransactions?
Last Updated: October 26, 2015
(Umar) Must be Cipher
October 26, 2015 at 12:11
I’m just so fucking sick of pubs making MTs sound like it’s for US, for the gamer, to make the experience better. Piss off, man. I don’t like mince, no gamer likes mince, so why are you giving us mince?
Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja
October 26, 2015 at 12:13
I like mince, especially when it is packed in a nomnom frikkadel or patty
(Umar) Must be Cipher
October 26, 2015 at 12:14
Frikkadel would be so good right now, on a lekker soft roll.
Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja
October 26, 2015 at 12:17
You know what is better than a frikkadel?
(Umar) Must be Cipher
October 26, 2015 at 12:18
bobotie?
oVg
October 26, 2015 at 12:47
bobotie FTW
Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja
October 26, 2015 at 12:51
FIVE FRIKKADELLE
Captain JJ the Goo
October 26, 2015 at 13:20
Aye
Captain JJ the Goo
October 26, 2015 at 13:24
Mince > Chicken
Sageville
October 26, 2015 at 13:34
The guy that decided that the term “Mince Pies” can be used for something that contains only fruit, needs to be shot.
SargonTheRebornBatpanda
October 26, 2015 at 13:34
Can you imagine a mince pie with mince in it? Uuuuurgh. Yukkies.
Captain JJ the Goo
October 26, 2015 at 13:35
I agree.
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 26, 2015 at 12:30
Why don’t they mince along with their MTs? #amirite
RinceThis
October 26, 2015 at 12:30
I like mince in my bolognese! Don’t speak for me!
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 26, 2015 at 12:31
#MinceThis
RinceThis
October 26, 2015 at 12:35
Don’t mince on your words boy!
40 Insane Frogs
October 26, 2015 at 17:22
#MinceMustNeverFall
oVg
October 26, 2015 at 12:46
Im eating mince while reading your comment 😛
James Anderton
October 26, 2015 at 12:18
Really loved vanilla Payday 2 (played with friends). Took a break.
DLC scared me off from coming back (There is a metric tonne of the shit).
This update assures that this game will live in my archive, never to be installed again on Steam.
Captain JJ the Goo
October 26, 2015 at 13:08
I was fine with the DLC. Bought a few of them too…and most were really awesome.
But this just broke it for me.
Hammersteyn
October 26, 2015 at 12:34
Also give a big shout out to people spending money on MT. Fools and their money are soon parted and almost no where is that more true than here.
Sageville
October 26, 2015 at 13:05
Hows that Rocket League car of yours?
*Runs
Hammersteyn
October 26, 2015 at 13:08
Hahahaha Not bad for a game that was free,
Captain JJ the Goo
October 26, 2015 at 13:09
I’ll admit that I’ve also spent money on content for an F2P game.
Hammersteyn
October 26, 2015 at 13:12
That’s the difference. You’re not supposed to spend MT on a AAA game. Why the hell charge $60 for it then?
Captain JJ the Goo
October 26, 2015 at 13:08
LOL
oVg
October 26, 2015 at 12:44
If gamers HATE micro transactions then they would not be implemented. As simple as that.
Hammersteyn
October 26, 2015 at 12:59
Apparently MT is the best thing since Mario Bros. 3
Captain JJ the Goo
October 26, 2015 at 13:10
I’m sure the parents whose kids are the ones mostly buying MTs with their credit cards don’t like it much either.
Captain JJ the Goo
October 26, 2015 at 13:07
I’ve already uninstalled mine.
nearly 400hrs of gameplay…but this just made me lose respect for Overkill
SargonTheRebornBatpanda
October 26, 2015 at 13:35
Microtransactions might be here to stay, but Payday 2 isn’t here to stay on my PC.
*uninstalls
konfab
October 26, 2015 at 13:50
I don’t mind micro transactions if all they provide is a way to buy in game currency that is available to everyone.