Breaking player trust is a no-no. Despite previously claiming that Marvel’s Avengers players would only be able to purchase cosmetics using real-world money, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have gone back on their word. In a new update to the game’s store, XP boosters are now for sale, allowing players to speed up character growth in exchange for actual money. Fans were immediately and understandably upset with the decision, though eyebrows were already raised back in March when the game received a serious XP nerf. Despite the title not being a competitive online game by any means, fans aren’t impressed by the company’s decision to bleed more money from fans, given that the title is still suffering from so many issues.
Specifically, the items on sale can be used to temporarily raise the amount of experience a player gains, and increase the number of resources collected as they explore the world. While it isn’t the same as just buying levels, these still give players a way to accelerate their progress. In a September 2020 blog post written on the official Marvel’s Avengers website, a promise to never add pay-to-win content for the title is printed in black and white. “We’ve committed that content purchasable with real money in Marvel’s Avengers will be aesthetic-only additions, which will ensure we can keep the game fresh for years to come.”
Upon release, Marvel’s Avengers received praise for its combat system and story but was panned for its mind-numbing repetition, lack of content, user interface, and technical problems. Within only a few weeks of launch, the player base dwindled due to continued frustration, and in November 2020 the game saw a meager 1,190 concurrent players on Steam, a 96% drop since the game’s launch.
If despite this incredible breach of trust you’d still like to play Marvel’s Avengers, the game is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and PC.