Is Bless Online Pay To Win? A Detailed Look At The Game’S Monetization
The free-to-play MMORPG Bless Online has received a lot of criticism for its monetization model and pay-to-win mechanics since its Western release in 2018. Players argue that the game strongly incentivizes spending real money to progress faster and gain advantages over non-paying players.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Bless Online does contain some pay-to-win elements through its Lumena cash shop, but it is not as severe as some other free MMOs on the market today.
What is Pay to Win?
Pay to Win (P2W) is a term commonly used in the gaming industry to describe a game mechanic where players can gain an unfair advantage by spending real money on in-game purchases. In these games, progression and success can be heavily influenced by the amount of money a player is willing to spend, rather than skill or dedication.
Definition of pay to win
In pay to win games, players can often purchase powerful items, upgrades, or abilities that give them a significant advantage over other players. These advantages may include increased damage, improved defense, or special abilities that are not easily obtainable through regular gameplay.
It is important to note that not all microtransactions in games are considered pay to win. Cosmetic items, such as skins or costumes, which do not impact gameplay, are generally accepted as fair and ethical monetization practices.
Pay to win refers specifically to purchases that provide a gameplay advantage.
Examples in other games
There have been several notable examples of pay to win mechanics in popular games. One example is the mobile game “Clash Royale,” where players can buy gems to speed up their progress and acquire powerful cards, giving them an advantage in battles.
Another example is “Star Wars Battlefront II,” which faced significant backlash for its loot box system, allowing players to purchase crates that contained powerful characters and abilities.
Many players argue that pay to win mechanics create an unfair playing field and diminish the significance of skill and strategy in competitive games. This has led to widespread controversy and debate within the gaming community.
Controversy around pay to win
The debate surrounding pay to win mechanics is often heated, with passionate arguments on both sides. Critics argue that pay to win undermines the integrity of the game and creates a barrier for players who cannot afford to spend additional money.
They believe that games should prioritize skill and fair competition rather than financial advantage.
On the other hand, some argue that pay to win mechanics are a valid way for developers to monetize their games and support ongoing development and updates. They suggest that players who invest more money should be rewarded with additional benefits and advantages.
Ultimately, whether or not a game is considered pay to win can be subjective and may vary from player to player. It is important for developers to find a balance between monetization and gameplay integrity to ensure a positive and enjoyable experience for all players.
Cash Shop and Lumena in Bless Online
In Bless Online, the game’s monetization revolves around the use of Lumena, the premium currency. Lumena can be purchased with real money or earned through in-game activities. It offers players the opportunity to enhance their gaming experience by acquiring various items and benefits from the cash shop.
Overview of Lumena – the premium currency
Lumena serves as the primary currency in Bless Online’s cash shop. It can be used to purchase a wide range of items, including cosmetic skins, mounts, pets, and convenience items. These items can enhance a player’s gameplay experience but do not provide a significant advantage in terms of power or progression.
The availability of Lumena ensures that players have the option to customize their characters and enjoy additional features without impacting the game’s balance.
Most popular items purchased with Lumena
One of the most popular categories of items purchased with Lumena is cosmetic skins. These skins allow players to change the appearance of their characters, weapons, and armor, adding a touch of personalization to their gameplay experience.
Additionally, convenience items such as inventory expansions, experience boosters, and teleportation scrolls are also commonly acquired with Lumena. These items provide players with convenience and time-saving benefits, but again, they do not offer a significant advantage in terms of power or progression.
Ability to convert Lumena to in-game gold
Bless Online provides players with the ability to convert Lumena to in-game gold through the Lumena Exchange feature. This feature allows players to trade their Lumena for gold on the in-game marketplace, providing an avenue for those who prefer to earn gold through gameplay rather than purchasing it directly.
This system helps maintain an economy within the game and ensures that players have multiple options for acquiring in-game resources.
It’s important to note that while Lumena can enhance a player’s gaming experience, Bless Online does not fall into the category of pay-to-win. The items available for purchase with Lumena do not provide a significant advantage over those obtained through gameplay, and the ability to convert Lumena to in-game gold further supports a fair and balanced economy.
Pay to Win Elements in Bless Online
Bless Online, like many other online games, has certain elements that can be considered “pay to win.” These are features or items that can be purchased with real money and give players an advantage over those who choose not to spend money.
Let’s take a detailed look at some of these pay to win elements in Bless Online:
Experience boosts
One of the pay to win elements in Bless Online is the ability to purchase experience boosts. These boosts allow players to level up faster and progress through the game at a quicker pace. While some players may argue that this is simply a convenience item, others argue that it gives paying players a significant advantage over those who choose not to spend money.
Convenience items
Another pay to win element in Bless Online is the availability of convenience items. These items can range from potions that restore health or mana to teleport scrolls that allow players to quickly travel to different locations.
While these items may seem harmless, they can give paying players an edge in battles or quests by allowing them to heal or escape difficult situations more easily.
Cosmetic costumes – some offer combat boosts
Many players enjoy customizing their characters in Bless Online with cosmetic costumes. However, some of these costumes offer more than just a new look. Some costumes actually provide combat boosts, giving paying players an advantage in battles.
This has sparked controversy among the player base, as it blurs the line between cosmetics and pay to win items.
Ability to purchase high-end gear from other players
In Bless Online, players have the ability to purchase high-end gear from other players through the game’s marketplace. While this can be a convenient way to acquire powerful equipment, it also opens the door for pay to win scenarios.
Players who are willing to spend real money can easily obtain the best gear, giving them a significant advantage over those who cannot or choose not to spend money.
Re-spec item to reallocate attributes and skills
Finally, Bless Online offers players the option to purchase a re-spec item that allows them to reallocate their attributes and skills. This can be a valuable tool for optimizing a character’s build, but it also raises concerns about pay to win.
Players who are willing to spend money can easily reset their character’s attributes and skills to create a more powerful build, while non-paying players may not have the same flexibility.
Counterarguments – How Bless Online Tries to Limit Pay to Win
Weekly limits on purchasing certain items
Bless Online has implemented a system of weekly limits on purchasing certain items from the in-game cash shop. This means that players cannot simply spend unlimited amounts of real money to gain a significant advantage over others.
By setting these limits, the game developers are attempting to maintain a level playing field and prevent the game from becoming overly pay to win. While some players may argue that any form of pay to win is unfair, these weekly limits help to mitigate the impact that purchasing items with real money can have on gameplay.
Only low-level gear available directly from cash shop
In an effort to balance the game’s monetization and gameplay, Bless Online only offers low-level gear directly through the cash shop. This means that high-level, powerful gear must be earned through gameplay and cannot be purchased with real money.
By restricting the availability of powerful gear in the cash shop, the game encourages players to engage in the game’s content and progress through the game organically. This helps to maintain a sense of achievement and fairness among players, even in the face of a monetization model.
Some advantages are minor or situational
While it is true that Bless Online offers some advantages that can be obtained through the cash shop, it is important to note that these advantages are often minor or situational. For example, players may be able to purchase consumable items that provide a temporary boost in stats or experience gain.
While these can be helpful in certain situations, they do not fundamentally alter the gameplay experience or provide a significant advantage over other players. It is also worth mentioning that these advantages can still be obtained through gameplay, albeit at a slower rate.
Skill still required to win PvP matches and raids
Regardless of any advantages that may be obtained through the cash shop, Bless Online still requires skill and strategy to excel in PvP matches and raids. The best gear in the game cannot guarantee victory if a player lacks the necessary skill to utilize it effectively.
PvP matches and raids in Bless Online are highly competitive and require teamwork, coordination, and individual skill to succeed. Therefore, while the cash shop may offer some benefits, it is ultimately the player’s skill and ability that determine success in these aspects of the game.
Conclusion
In summary, while Bless Online does offer some advantages to paying players, it avoids some of the most egregious pay-to-win practices seen in other games. The advantages are situational rather than making free players unable to compete.
However, players looking for an perfectly even playing field may still find the monetization model too aggressive for their tastes.
