So, I'm a backer for Star Citizen. I spent $65 on a game that I'm super hyped about, and I don't really regret my purchase. But it seems like the game is going more and more pay-to-win.
I first got worried with the insurance installment in the gameplay. Now, they say insurance is in there because it wants to be like real life where you have to keep up payments, but ships are expensive, and if you don't have insurance (or can't afford it) on a super expensive ship (some of which will end up costing upwards of $500-700 o.0), and that ship crashes, you lose it. Forever. Forcing you to either grind out 100+ hours of gameplay to get it again, or to plunk down a huge amount of cash.
Now, the developer says that people have jobs and should be able to use cash to catch up with people who play the game. To an extent, I agree. Maybe some minor things you should be able to pay real-life money for, like special decals on ships or cosmetics and such. But, the only way to get some of these ships is to use real-world cash, because the amount of time it would take otherwise is just too much. The developer is basically saying that those who plunk down a bunch of cash after buying the base game will have an advantage over people who payed the base price and just want to play in an even playing field.
It's worrying that the developer is asking for such an exorbiant amount of money for in-game ships. Some of those cost as much as graphics cards. It's insanity, and it's troubling to see the game go in such a direction even when its already raised over $40,000,000.
I'm still looking forward to the game, have no doubt. I'm just scared that I payed for a glorified micro-transaction game that's even worse than some of the crap that companies like EA have tried to pull.
That's the danger of crowd-funding, I suppose.
You're Gonna Carry That Weight.
Xbox One - PS4 - Wii U - PC
