Destiny 2 microtransactions have come under fire from gamers just 24 hours after the alien shooter rolled out for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with the Reddit community taking exception to the way shaders have been implemented in the sequel.
As reported by Eurogamer, let’s cast our minds back to the first Destiny. Back then, shaders could be applied as you see fit, changing them as and when you fancied it.
That’s where the problem comes in. Destiny 2 has made fundamental changes to the way shaders work, as they’re now consumables for one-time use only. Bungie neglected to confirm these tweaks prior to the game’s release, so they have come as something of a shock to the community.
One method of bagging shaders is by purchasing loot boxes for the Eververse Trading Company, which of course means you have to spend real-life cash on Silver. Decrypting Bright Engrams are the only way to get them; they’re not available to buy individually, so you can’t just pick and choose.
This hasn’t gone done well at all with Destiny 2 players, with one thread on Reddit receiving over 36,000 up votes. In fact, one member, WeilageM, has called for gamers not to spend a dime on Destiny 2 microtransactions until Bungie returns to its original template for shaders.
"Getting a stockpile of shaders doesn’t beat just having a collection you can use at will, even if the shader drops were so frequent that you never ran out of the ones you want," he wrote. ”At that point, why even have them be consumable? Because you’re supposed to run out, get impatient, and just start dumping money into Eververse so you CAN have a stockpile."
Elsewhere, the shared-world shooter has also attracted criticism for flogging mods that affect gameplay. These can be attached to weapons and armor for an increase in various attributes, such as letting your Guardian absorb more damage or have their abilities recharge faster.
These are purchasable from the in-game store immediately, and can then be bought via the Gunsmith once you finish Destiny 2’s campaign in exchange for weapon parts. Even so, this still means that you are able to use real-life money to purchase gameplay buffs, something which the original Destiny did not offer.
The price of Destiny 2’s loot boxes have also come under fire, although if you buy in bulk you get a little more value. Still, in comparison to something like Overwatch, the general consensus is that Bungie is overcharging for Silver.
How do you feel about Destiny 2 microtransactions? Let us know in the comments below.