PlayerUnknown addresses concerns around Battlegrounds’ new CS:GO style crate system

Last month, it was revealed that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds would be receiving a CS:GO style crate system for cosmetic items. This caused quite a stir as previously the PUBG FAQ had stated that cosmetic microtransactions would only appear after the game leaves Early Access. Now, Brendan Greene, the lead on the project, has spoken out in defence of the studio’s change in plan.

Writing over on a Steam Community post, PlayerUnknown/Brendan Greene explained that while the crate system is in the game earlier than expected, this is down to the fact that it needs testing before being fully implemented in the final build:

“While our intention was and still is to add the full feature to the game when we move into actual release, we do need to test it prior to launch and at Early Access so that it is stable and ready to be fully introduced to our community. The idea of testing, prior to full implementation, is at the heart of adding every new game feature in our game, and this includes the crate and key system which we believe will serve as the foundation of a healthy economy after launch.”

While Greene does think that testing the in-game economy is now necessary in Early Access rather than after it, he does agree that the studio’s messaging “wasn’t very clear”.

“I must admit that our messaging wasn’t very clear, so I extend my sincere apologies for the confusion caused. The process of communicating our intentions precisely to our fans and communities should have been done in a more careful and prudent manner. I’ve learned a lot, and we’ll try to communicate better moving forward. “

KitGuru Says: There are plenty of good reasons to disagree with microtransactions in an early access game. However, as long as this doesn’t have a negative impact on the development of the rest of the game, I can’t see it putting off too many players.

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