"Spectre Divide: Backlash Leads to Lower Skin Prices Post-Launch"

Spectre Divide has made a swift response to the community's concerns regarding the high prices of skins and bundles in their newly launched online FPS game. Just hours after its release, Mountaintop Studios announced significant changes to address the player backlash. Dive deeper into the details of this unexpected move by the developers.

Spectre Divide Lowers Skin Prices Hours After Launch and Player Backlash

30% SP Refund for Select Players

In a surprising turn of events, Spectre Divide's developer, Mountaintop Studios, has announced a reduction in the prices of in-game items following widespread player dissatisfaction. Game director Lee Horn revealed that the prices of weapons and character skins will see a decrease ranging from 17% to 25%, effective immediately. This decision was made shortly after the game's launch, spurred by the community's strong reaction to the initial pricing.

"We've heard your feedback and we're making changes," Mountaintop Studios declared in their statement. "Weapons & Outfits will be permanently decreasing in price by 17-25%. Players who purchased store items before the change will receive a 30% SP [in-game currency] refund." This action was taken in response to the community's vocal frustrations over the high costs of skins and bundles. For example, the Cryo Kinesis Masterpiece bundle, which originally cost around $85 (9,000 SP), was considered exorbitantly priced for a free-to-play game.

Mountaintop Studios is also offering a 30% SP refund to those who made purchases prior to the price adjustment, with the refund amount rounded up to the nearest 100 SP. However, not all items will see a price drop; the Starter pack, Sponsors, and Endorsement upgrades will remain at their original prices. "These packs will not have any adjustments. Anyone who purchased the Founder's pack / Supporter pack, and purchased the items above will get the extra SP added to their account as well," the studio clarified.

The community's response to these changes has been varied. While some players expressed gratitude for the adjustments, the game's rating on Steam still reflects a 49% negative sentiment at the time of writing. The initial backlash led to review bombings on Steam, resulting in a "Mixed" review status primarily due to the high costs of in-game items. On social media platforms like Twitter (X), opinions ranged from cautious optimism to outright skepticism. One player remarked, "Def not enough but it’s a start! And it’s great that you’re at least listening to players feedback." Another suggested, "I wish we could buy individual items from packs like hairstyles or accessories! You’d probably get more money from me tbh!"

However, not everyone was convinced by the studio's swift response. A skeptical fan voiced their concerns about the timing of the price change, stating, "You needed to do that beforehand, not when people are upset about it and then you change it. If you keep on going in this direction then I don’t think this game will last any longer. Cause in future you will get heavy competition from other f2p games too."

This move by Mountaintop Studios highlights their willingness to listen to player feedback and make adjustments accordingly, although it remains to be seen how these changes will affect the game's long-term reception and success.