Killing Floor 2 developer defends decision to add microtransactions

A Link To The Past

Killing Floor 2 developer Tripwire Interactive has issued a response to fans angered by the impending addition of microtransactions to the Steam Early Access hit.

The skill-based co-op shooter will soon include a Trading Floor section, where in-game loot can be bought using small lumps of real-world cash.

This loot will - at least initially - be limited to just cosmetic items, which may drop by themselves or in encrypted crates for which you will need to buy a key to unlock (thanks, Destructoid).

It all sounds similar to Payday 2's controversial loot safes, which developer Overkill recently added to its heist shooter and which sparked a huge fan backlash.

Overkill was heavily criticised for adding stat-changing loot, and there are hints Tripwire is considering something similar.

"All of the content added in Trading Floor at launch will be cosmetic only and not affect gameplay in any way," the developer's FAQ page states.

"In the future we may be adding weapons with new gameplay for sale, but this will appear in the 'Shared Content' area on the server. This means that, if any player on the server has a weapon, then every player on the server will be able to use it."

Proceeds from microtransactions will be split between community members that made the items and Tripwire Interactive. The latter said it'll use the money to fund post-launch content.

The news has been greeted with dismay by many fans, but Tripwire has said it is listening to the response.

"Not much time left to change anything before the update, but we are listening. And, to those asking 'why not get the game out of Early Access first?' - well, here's your answer. Feedback, leading to changes in what we are doing with this, changes to future plans.

"So that, when the game comes out of Early Access, it is actually finished, with core systems like this ironed out and working the way people want it to."

hmm that is surprising and disappointing coming from Tripwire. They should have stuck to the map-making contests from their previous games. As long as its just cosmetics I can live with it but Its a worrying path for them to go down.

just cosmetic items

For now.

someones gotta pay for that gold platted toilet, nomsaiyan?

It is just cosmetics, so it is whatever and it is not even from the development team. People complain about everything.

The right to complain would hold ground if they were selling boosters, weapons, etc. that affect the general gameplay.

Will that happen? Who knows but if it does, complain about that. Not this.

Pretty big difference compared to Overkill.

Tripwire never made any promises that they wouldn't add microtransactions. They've been pretty honest since the first game that they will release DLC to support their games after release.

I'm fine, as long as it doesn't affect gameplay. Tripwire has a good rep, so I have some confidence that they aren't going to screw the game up.

True. But hopefully, they are only using these for maintaining their servers and won't do other bad deeds in the future.

Yeah, for now. They say they are looking into other stuff too like weapons and such.

But then why reassure people it's only cosmetic stuff ? :/

Didn't the first game have DLC that was just cosmetic stuff?

I was typing the same thing. Killing Floor 1 had skins that you could buy...
And their implementation of weapons you could buy sounds better than what other games do. 1 person bought it? Everybody he plays with gets to use it. That's cool.
I still don't like it. But that's an innovative and positive way to do this in this type of game.

That sucks. The game already costs money.

Yeah, the KF1 had the same payed-for skins and weapons, but their implementation in KF2 is more user-friendly.

I seriously don't understand why people complain about this.

Guess they didn't play KF1.