At the second closed beta testing of the global version of MMORPG Tarisland, the opportunity to evaluate the monetization system became available for the first time. Of course, many users immediately looked into the in-game store to check whether the developers kept their promise regarding Pay-to-Win. As a result, opinions on this were divided.
In Tarisland, you really can’t purchase equipment from the in-game store. However, it is possible to buy gold (albeit not directly) with real money, and then use this currency to obtain items from the auction. Some users consider this to be a real element of Pay-to-Win.
The developers themselves decided to comment on the situation. As the team explained, their understanding of Pay-to-Win differs from the community’s, so they will be more careful in future descriptions of monetization. The authors did not want items that would affect the balance to be sold in the store, and exchanges between players were prohibited to avoid offline transactions. However, they noted that they will continue to optimize the monetization model to ensure a fair gaming environment and provide a positive gaming experience after the game’s official launch.
Under the spoiler below you will find the full text of the letter:
“Thank you everyone for your feedback on the second CBT. We have noticed an increasing number of discussions about P2W in the community and we sincerely apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
We’ve seen many games offer players a poor gaming experience due to the sale of gear and items in stores that affect character stats or game balance.
As a result, we strive to create a fair MMORPG and have decided not to sell such items in our official store, considering this model to be non-P2W. In this test, we found that our understanding differs from the community’s, and we will be more careful in our future monetization descriptions. Our initial goal in developing this monetization model was to provide players with a smoother progression experience and create a good in-game ecosystem.
In the current design, all items interacting in the auction are produced and priced directly by players, allowing them to benefit from trades. At the same time, we have limited trading between players to minimize the spread of offline transactions and player losses caused by gold farming using services and bots. Our goal is to provide players with a fair gaming experience and a safe trading environment.
Based on community feedback, we also found many shortcomings in this test. We will carefully listen to each player’s feedback and adhere to the principle of not selling items and equipment that improve character performance in the official store. We will also continually optimize our monetization model to ensure a fair gaming environment and provide a positive gaming experience once the game officially launches.
Ultimately, we hope to create a stable MMORPG that offers a fair and classic experience for everyone. We appreciate the support of all players and thank you again for your contribution to development.”
The second closed beta testing of the global version of Tarisland CBT started on November 15, and will end in about two weeks. At this stage, players can evaluate the new content, monetization system and translation into Russian.
