Marvel’s Avengers has introduced a controversial new feature, XP boosts that can be purchased with real money, and some portion of the game’s audience is upset.
Players can now purchase “consumables” with credits, a currency that can be acquired with real money, according to VGC. “Consumables can be used to temporarily boost the amount of XP a player gains or increase the number of resources they collect while playing, essentially acting like an accelerator to ensure faster progress,” the site reported.
In a blog post, Crystal Dynamics outlined how consumables work. “We added a Consumable category in the Marketplace where you can purchase Hero’s Catalysts and Fragment Extractors. You can purchase a consumable with a one-day duration for 100 Credits, a three-day duration for 250 Credits, or seven-day duration for 500 Credits,” it said.
The game’s subreddit is filled with commentary about the introduction of paid XP boosts, with members making jokes and sharing memes criticizing the move. Some people have pledged to stop supporting the game and others have called on fans to write to Disney to try to sort things out. Other people have pointed out that, at one time, developer Crystal Dynamics said it would only ever offer cosmetics for purchase. “You promised you wouldn’t do this. You lied to all of us,” one commenter said.
Paid XP boosts are not uncommon in AAA games. Players can spend real money in games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, and many other games to speed up their progress. For people who are short on time and want to get the most out of their experience, paying for XP boosts and other consumables can make sense.
In other news, Crystal Dynamics has confirmed that Spider-Man remains on track for release in Marvel’s Avengers later this year. The game’s Black Panther: War for Wakanda expansion launched for free on August 17.
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