Now that we're in December, Psyonix has rolled out its long-scheduled update for Rocket League which removes randomised loot crates. These have been replaced with a transparent reward system known as 'Blueprints'.
Blueprints are rewarded to you by playing matches. You can then choose whether or not to pay a set price to unlock the blueprint item and it means you'll always know what you're receiving. If you had any existing crates, they're now blueprints, and keys have been turned into the new paid currency: credits. Lastly, all decryptors have been converted into bonus gifts.
The other change is the introduction of a new Item Shop - featuring a rotating inventory of items that can be purchased with your credits. Unfortunately, not everyone within the Rocket League community is happy and it's all tied to the pricing of these items.
According to a thread over on Reddit, certain customisation upgrades are now more expensive and much harder to obtain. Some older items have also been increased in price. One user known as zeUltimater noted how:
previously you'd buy 23 keys, use them on 23 crates and would get 23 items. Now you have to buy 23 keys worth of credits to get one item. Yeah, this will not work
You can read the full patch notes on Pysonix's website. You can also read more about the conversion rates and credit prices. We'll be sure to let you know if Psyonix or Epic responds to the community about the new item prices in Rocket League.
Have you tried out this update yet? What are your thoughts - let us know!
[source gamespot.com]
Comments 36
So they replaced one greedy trick with an even worse greedy trick. Nice.
I suppose, if it is not good value for money, don't buy it.
Can't satisfy everyone. This is for people that have money to spare anyways.
Once again, Epic continues to be the laughing stock of the industry. Congratulations.
So you earn stuff in the game that you have to pay real money to use? That might fly on a Free2Play game, but you have to pay money to play Rocket League in the first place (not counting online memberships). I didn't know about this because I almost never play the game (I don't even own any copies), but now I don't want to buy anything from whoever makes this.
I've never paid attention to any of that stuff in Rocket League. I just play it and it's fun.
Sigh, I remember the good ol days when cosmetic rewards were locked behind in game challenges and usually had some meaning behind them or took skill and dedication to unlock.
This game was fun last year when I din no nathan bout loot crate.
Been playing it for four years and bought I think two items that I really wanted. Always say ‘no’ when people are mothering to trade. Not important.
It is sad that mobile gaming practices have infected console gaming and I think they prey on younger audiences.
I have not spent a penny more on Rocket League (or any other game) for cosmetics.
Kids, however, are prone to wanting to give in to the temptation. They have no patience, haven’t learned self-control and want everything they see.
The thing that bugs me is a game like this can make so much money but other genres struggle.
Think about a JRPG. They need to have writers, directors, actors, there is an orchestral soundtrack etc. Loads of people to make the game on top of the programmers and game designers etc. And we get a 70+ hour game with tons of items, upgrades etc for £35 with no way of them making more money and they will have a fraction of the player base of games like this.
You buy a game like this and you get 3 car options and everything else you have to buy. It is crazy.
I still don't get why people buy this kind of crap. I don't notice what anybody's car looks like and don't give a rat's arse about their goal animation, just play the game for the game.
This game used to be so good at launch as you unlocked everything just by playing it. It's so sad to see what it has become, I've no problem with them selling some items to cover costs of supporting the game but £10 to £15 for some wheels is utterly ridiculous, no wonder they took down the slc they already had so people couldn't compare it to the Batmobile and Delorean which I think cost me about a fiver for the pair. How have we gone from that to paying almost as much for a cosmetic as the game cost?
When this game first released on PC I wanted to try it, but glad I never picked it up tbh.
Yeah, no. This system is vastly superior to the loot box system. The quoted user is using an unfair comparison to make the changes appear worse because they don't like the change. Yes, buying 23 keys would get 23 items. But this is 23 RANDOM items from a small pool of items limited by which crate you're opening. In addition, items of rare quality have over a 50% chance of being dropped vs roughly 1% for a black market quality item, meaning from those 23 crates you'd likely end up with a huge stockpile of said small pool of rare items on your way to get the item you probably opened the crate in hopes of getting. The 23 keys worth or 2300 credits would be buying a guaranteed black market item. Youd have full knowledge of what it is and if it is painted/certified. When statistically youd have to open 100+ crates to get a black market (and have no control of which one and if it was painted/certified) you're cutting out the predatory middleman by using 23 keys worth to just outright buy the item you want.
The quoted user deliberately misrepresented the new credits system. A rare blueprint takes 100 credits to build and goes up appropriately through the rarities until you reach 2000 to build a black market item. People are underestimating the advantages of knowing exactly what they're getting. Blueprints drop for everyone, so now for the first time players who have never spent any money may be able to get blueprints for those fancy pretty items when previously the trade up mechanic only reached exotic rarity. Blueprints are easy to trade for credits so you can save up to build blueprints you love the look of-you even get a preview screen so you know exactly how itll look on your car.
I haven't spent any money on rocket league since the one time I bought keys to get the first rocket pass. And if you go all along that track you get enough keys/credits to go again on the next rocket pass. The reality of this blueprint update is that it's great for low/zero spenders like myself and not so great for high rollers who only deal in black markets/high value items. It will likely be the later who will be most vocal about any disdain they have for the new system.
@Nuclearpineapple Thank you for sharing this... I was about to say the same thing.
@Kalmaro So spending money to buy the exact in-game you want is worse than spending money on a random chance to get said item? Huh who knew.
A company using a greedy easy money system shocks everyone by being greedy....and lowering the bar
Just say no kids .
@Nintendoforlife that’s not what the system is.... it’s not the same money. You are getting a lot less for a lot more
What worries me here is the mentality some people have been bought up with. These tactics used by corporations have caused people to think about money differently.
When games first came out, you spend £20, you play the game, it's done. With the introduction of DLC, you spend £40 for a game and then an additional 5, 10, 15, etc, depending on what you're getting for it, and you get to enjoy the game for a little longer. You spend no more than say £80 for the game and all it's DLC.
Now we have tablet games, apps and online community games we have these new micro-transactions. Some games are free whereas others, like Rocket League, you spend on. In either case these micro-transactions cost anywhere between, I guess 10p and can climb well up to £100. You do that a few times and there's no limit to the amount of money a game can cost.
That business practice have caused consumers to devalue their own real-life currency as something that can be thrown away, for a new skin, a little boost, something else. I understand people pay for entertainment, but at what cost?
I do believe in supporting developers for their work, I do. But I don't get how they can expect us to pay so much. We could buy a new car as DLC for what, £2 or £4, but now they expect us to use £5 - £20 for one. Or just some wheels. Or just a new boost.
Yeah you can trade with other players but those credits come from somewhere. Someone pays money for it. A new 'set' (vehicle body, decals, paint, wheels, topper, antenna, etc) can potentially cost up to £100 worth of credits now. Tell me that's worth it.
@Wilforce
I'm glad that I'm not alone in my thoughts on this update; even if I did go into a hefty rant about it.
Something about the complaints just doesn't sit right with me. All of these things are cosmetics. They literally have no impact on the game or your ability to play well. The one thing that is different- the hit boxes of cars- also got negated by making it so everyone effectively has the GOTY edition. Everyone has access to all the hit box "types" and even then most people just opt for the octane (I recently went from paladin to animus gp myself and I love it).
What this now boils down to is fashion. People what the pretty things to be cool and are somehow suprised and angry that being fashionable costs money.
As a big Rocket League fan, I would admit the one bad part of the game is the loot box system. But, as an adult, I make the choice to pay them money for additional content.
That said, I had fallen off from playing until many months ago when I paid for the premium season pass. Since then, I have played dozens of hours, having fun, leveling up, getting quirky cosmetics.
I really like the discussion here, there are good points being made.
Psyonix done screwed up.
@DrDaisy You do, but it's all cosmetic. Even the cars you get from crates/blueprints offer no competitive advantage. Plus, you get free items all the time just for playing the game. The problem now is that paid items are much harder to get.
@Nuclearpineapple You're unlikely to get a black market item from 23 crates, bit you're not just getting rates, either. There are bound to be several very rare and import, and likely a couple exotics in there.
Besides, the comparison you ought to be making is to the secondary market. None of the items cost nearly what Psyonix is charging for them on places like RocketLeagueExchange.
Have Psyonix made a game since rocket league? Have they even one in development. Feels like they hit on a gravy train and they are gonna milk it for as long as possible.
Played about 60hrs, never paid a penny over the price for the base game. No big deal here.
@TheAwesomeBowser
Epic is laughing all the way to the bank
I have bought DLC cars but no keys. Probably wouldn't care for blueprints. Honestly what I hate, even from before the update, is that I can't earn enough in game currency in the rocket pass to buy the next rocket pass.
Loot crates have their bonuses and minuses. If you just want random stuff to make a “wardrobe” of stuff to shift trough and are not picky, loot boxes might be better (at least until you own enough stuff to make you constantly just get dups.)
If you want specific items, it can potentially mean thousands thrown down the sink to finally get the one thing you ever cared for.
shrugs I've never opened a loot cart in all my time playing Rocket League and I won't use this either.
@Nuclearpineapple you can't earn free credits like you could in rocket pass so this is actually worse for people like me that dont buy credits, not to mention rng is still a thing the blueprint you get is random. Also since it's a fixed price you can't really trade up to better items.
Screw these whinner... I prefere having the stuff i want, instead of buying 23 keys and getting 23 craps i already own. I prefer buying 23 keys worth of credit and getting EXACTLY the item i want. Blueprint system is great.
@Nuclearpineapple Thanks !! Blueprint system is great and far superior to gambling lootbox. Totaly agree man !
@AnnoyingFrenzy they still do take skill, dedication and a few hours of work...at your job....in real life. I wish we would all get together and stop supporting this practice on games we have to pay to play. If it is a free game fine I expect the micro transactions but not on a retail game.
So this is basically the CTR microtransaction system then.
"previously you'd buy 23 keys, use them on 23 crates and would get 23 items. Now you have to buy 23 keys worth of credits to get one item. Yeah, this will not work"
I'm still amazed that people are actually so dumb to pay money for cosmetic items.
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