Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Overkill Takes Step Back On, But Doesn't Abandon, Payday 2 Microtransactions
The Payday 2 community has been up in arms since last week’s implementation of exclusive microtransaction-driven item drops. Overkill has taken a giant step back, while not dropping the controversial items entirely.
Players have started receiving safes that contain cosmetic items, many of which also confer weapon stat bonuses. When the items were introduced, the only way to open the safes was to purchase a drill for $2.49.
In a post on the game’s Steam forums, Overkill quietly revealed that drills will now show up as post-match rewards. We’ve reached out to the developer for comment on the decision and what this means for Payday 2 moving forward. We’ll update should we receive a response.
[Source: Steam]
Our Take
Much of the outrage over the microtransactions comes from a GameSpot interview with former Overkill employee David Goldfarb, in which he definitively shut down any possibility of the “feature” for Payday 2. There are two things that come to mind as a result.
First, there’s a reason why developers and publishers say “we have no plans at this time.” That language leaves the door open for change. Second, Goldfarb is no longer with the studio, which puts some distance between the comment and the Overkill.
That said, the original plan for making drills $2.49 (stretching the prefix part of the word “microtransaction” to its limit) wasn’t great. Players were quick to let Overkill know just what they thought of the plan, too.
Update: It's come to my attention that Overkill's Almir Listo also apparently stated that Payday 2 would not have microtransactions (though this post referencing an old update is a copy and not the original). Hopefully, we'll receive a response from Overkill that helps us understand these decisions.
Update 2: A reader sent over a link to the original post referencing the promise of no microtransactions. You can see it here.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
