Summary
Splitgate 2went live yesterday, surprising fans of the first game with a new battle royale mode. To hype up the sequel, 1047 Games' CEO Ian Proulx took to the stage atSummer Game Fest, dissingCall of Dutyandunveiling a trailer that didn’t exactly leave viewers impressed.
Now, early Steam reviews are mixed. The CEO’s SGF appearance might have contributed to that, but much of the talk around the game also centres around the microtransactions, as many take particular issue with a bundle that costs $80.
Spiltgate 2 Players Complain About Microtransactions, Especially The $80 Bundle
“Bro wears a make fps games great again hat and makes the most expensive store I’ve ever seen and releases an unfinished battle royale,” reads one of the negative reviews. This references the hat worn by Proulx, which was a play on the MAGA hats, and didn’t go down well at all with viewers.
“This game felt like a downgrade from Splitgate 1 in almost every way to me,” says another player, who takes issue with the map design. “It’s often felt easier and more efficient to forego portals in some gunfights in lieu of traditional FPS gameplay. Some maps feel a little crowded, with several instances of spawning with somebody about to turn a corner behind your back, an issue I feel is made worse with less portal surfaces.”
Not so fun fact: the bundle is listed as being on sale, and will actually cost $145 whenever that sale ends.
Of course, the microtransactions come up too: “It’s simply gross. Microtransactions, Battlepasses, FOMO, the usual suspects are here. These do not belong in a beta. These hardly belong in a full game.”
It’s not all negative, however. “Honestly, an absolutely awesome game, was cool to see it update through alpha and stuff,” says a player who had a much better time with Splitgate 2. “Just give it some time, though. It’s definitely not 100% polished, but you have to note that we’re still in Beta.”
And yet, even positive reviews mention the monetisation. “Incredibly fun but how tf you going to put a fully functioning store page, a battle pass and three type[s] of currency all in a beta….. wild times.”
The devs haverespondedto these complaints, addressing a fan who highlighted the priciest bundle. “We understand your criticism. This pack features our most unique skins with complex animations and artwork. We have a variety of cheaper options,” the reply reads. “The game is free to play, and you don’t need to buy anything to enjoy it to its fullest. Nothing is pay to win and never will be.”
Of course, it’s still early days, so 1047 has time to turn this around. There are plenty of fans who are happy to play, it just seems that the microtransactions have left a poor taste in our mouths from the get-go.
