In a recent blog post, Ubisoft outlined the monetisation plans for XDefiant, the soon-to-launch first-person shooter that’s totally free to play. As you might expect, there will be plenty of optional purchases in XDefiant, but Ubisoft has pledged that there will be no ‘pay-to-win’ mechanics. The full breakdown provided below details how your money can be spent in XDefiant.
‘Amazing Customisation Options’
Ubisoft has stressed a critical point by stating boldly that there will be no pay-to-win elements in XDefiant. It was confirmed that any ‘gameplay-impacted content’ can be both purchased and earned in-game, which means that users can either get their hands on something immediately or grind the game and unlock it over time.
XDefiant will reward players for investing their time and effort into the game, it was revealed. That means that even going on a losing streak will reward you with experience points and content. Here are the kinds of rewards you’ll unlock for progressing through the game:
- Battle Pass Rewards
- In-Game Challenges
- Ubisoft Connect Challenges
- Weapon Mastery
- Participation Rewards
Ubisoft then confirmed that customisation is at the heart of the game:
Our goal is to be providing amazing customisation options that reward all of the matches, victories, and even defeats that you put into the game. We know being able to display your identity as a player is important, and so customization will be key to the XDefiant experience.
To that end, players will be able to both unlock and purchase:
- Character Skins
- Weapon Skins
- MVP Player Animations
- Player Cards
- Emoji Packs
Players will also be prompted to purchase a premium battle pass when they start playing XDefiant – but there will also be a free pathway that’ll reward players with less prestigious unlocks.
Are you going to invest any extra money in XDefiant?
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Other games have shown that you can easily get by with cosmetics and weapon skins in an FPS is the best thing to monetise, if you do it. The second the game introduces P2W weapons, the game’s dead.