theHunter: Call of the Wild to drop controversial microtransactions

A new version of beautiful hunting game, the Hunter, has been announced and it will do away with the series'  much hated micro-transaction model. Set to go on sale early in the new year, theHunter: Call of the Wild, will see gamers faced with just one payment and then in-game unlocks for new weapons and equipment.

The original theHunter game was released back in 2009 and developed in conjunction with Just Cause and Mad Max maker, Avalanche studios. It uses the developer's large-scale, open world engine to create a truly stunning environment to roam around in. The hunting experience was deep and broad too, but although its gameplay was enjoyed by many, its restrictive use of “hunting licenses,” which had to be paid for to hunt anything beyond the basics in the game, really pushed people away from it.

That's something that Avalanche is looking to change with Call of the Wild. The new version of theHunter will feature 50 square miles of open environments to explore, with a variety of weapons, bullets, accessories and of course, animals to hunt. All of them will be available with one base purchase of the game, while some items will be unlockable through play. [yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGOTYfGMyoE']

The game will also feature dynamic weather patterns, animal interactions, a newly revamped wind system which means getting downwind of your prey and more. We're told that the experience will retain the depth of the previous game, but that Avalanche is going out of its way to try and ease the learning cliff into more of a curve, to help draw in new players.

Those new players can play along, together or against one another too, with cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes, so you can team up with up to seven others to explore the world of theHunter together. There will also be some basic RPG elements, with skill unlocks and upgrades.

You can sign up to be part of the theHunter: Call of the Wild‘s closed beta in December, or look forward to its PC release in spring next year.

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KitGuru Says: I loved the old Deer Hunter games, but did find the subscription model in the theHunter off putting. If it's done right, I could see this game sucking up a lot of my time. There's something quite relaxing about strolling through the woods, knowing that you can't run for fear of scaring away your prey. 

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