Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Sees Big Player Boost After Arbites Class Launch, but Monetization Complaints Continue as Dev Sells Helmet With a Raised Visor for $5

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide has seen a large boost successful players aft launching its archetypal caller class, but complaints implicit monetization person continued particularly aft developer Fatshark released a mentation of the Arbitrator's default helmet with its visor up for $5.

This week’s Battle for Tertium update, which arrived alongside the caller Adeptus Arbites people DLC, reworked the halfway subordinate acquisition to supply a new, clearer communicative absorption for the co-op first-person melee / shooter hybrid.

Players present acquisition a linear run with caller ngo debriefs and embedded cinematics. It’s designed to “ease successful caller players and gradually unlock features that were antecedently gated by quality level,” Fatshark has said.

But the large gully for seasoned players was the merchandise of the Adeptus Arbites class, and it appears to person done the trick. This $11.99 DLC looks similar it’s sparked the involvement of players who person stuck with the crippled since its troubled launch, arsenic good arsenic convinced lapsed players to dip backmost in.

Following the launch, Darktide deed a highest concurrent subordinate number of conscionable implicit 43,000 connected Steam, the highest it’s been connected Valve’s level for implicit 2 years. And this doesn’t adjacent overgarment the full representation of the game’s success, fixed it’s besides retired connected console.

In a connection provided to IGN, Product Marketing Manager Rodrigue Delrue said Fatshark had noticed the uptick, but failed to accidental precisely however galore were playing Darktide crossed PC and console.

“We’ve seen a precocious level of engagement crossed each platforms, adjacent if we don't person nonstop numbers to stock astatine this time,” Delrue said. “What’s important is that the assemblage remains progressive and passionate, and we’re incredibly thankful for that.”

The caller Arbitrator's default helmet has its visor down. Image credit: Fatshark.

However, determination is 1 sticking point: monetization. Darktide’s Adeptus Arbites DLC launched alongside a caller circular of premium cosmetics, bought with the in-game currency called Aquilas (the Aquila is the past awesome of the Imperium of Man successful the Warhammer 40,000 universe). And wrong that monetization debate, 1 point successful peculiar has acceptable the assemblage off: a helmet with its visor up.

This helmet, specifically for the Arbitrator, is identical to the default visor-down helmet you get with the caller class. So, you’re paying 900 Aquilas (approx. $5) conscionable to assistance your visor up.

The Arbitrator's patrol helm with raised visor costs $5. Image credit: Fatshark.

As you’d imagine, this hasn’t gone down good with immoderate Darktide players. “We've reached the existent highest of Fatshark greed,” reads 1 thread connected the Darktide subreddit, upvoted 3,000 times.

“Yeah, it’s bulls**t that this wasn’t conscionable included alongside the different identical default visor-down helmet,” said 1 player. “Just springiness maine a fastener propulsion that lets maine bash this,” suggested another. “I’m conscionable gladsome the visor up isn’t default and they marque you wage for down,” joked 1 fan. “You mean I person to wage other to really spot my character’s disfigured face? I was buying skins to screen it up.”

IGN enactment the complaints astir this cosmetic and Darktide’s monetization mostly to Fatshark, and Delrue explained the workplace needs to merchantability items successful bid to proceed moving connected the game, but took the feedback connected board.

“Cosmetic pricing is ever a balancing act,” Delrue said. “As a unrecorded work crippled we privation to beryllium capable to support moving connected the crippled portion respecting what players consciousness is just value. We admit erstwhile these topics are brought up, these conversations assistance america amended recognize what the assemblage values and helps pass however we attack cosmetics going forward.”

The question present is, however overmuch longer volition Fatshark proceed to enactment connected adding caller contented to Darktide, which is approaching its 3rd birthday? Delrue pointed to the studio’s continued enactment of the adjacent older Warhammer game, Vermintide, arsenic grounds of its committedness to its players, and adjacent confirmed much caller classes are connected the way.

“Since launch, we’ve continuously supported Darktide with escaped updates — and that committedness isn’t changing,” Delrue said. “As we’ve shown with Vermintide, we’re successful this for the agelong haul. Players tin people expect ongoing support, including caller classes and further escaped contented arsenic the crippled continues to evolve.”

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].