Throne and Liberty Is It Pay To Win?

Today, we’re diving into a hot topic: Is Throne & Liberty pay to win? As this MMORPG gears up for its global launch in September, Amazon Games has released an article detailing their payment structure and in-game store. This game, available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, has the potential to attract a massive audience, especially since free MMOs on consoles are a rarity. Naturally, this raises questions about whether the game will lean towards a pay-to-win model. Let’s break down the details from Amazon Games to understand how Throne & Liberty aims to balance monetization and gameplay fairness.

Amazon and NCSoft have outlined three guiding principles for Throne & Liberty’s business model:

1. Player Self-Expression: Emphasis on cosmetics and customizations.
2. Combat and Power Upgrades: Accessible to all players, ensuring essential gameplay upgrades are not locked behind paywalls.
3. Rewarding Purchases: In-game purchases are designed to enhance the experience but are not mandatory for progression.

Throne & Liberty features three main currencies:

1. Lucent: Acquired through real money or earned via PvP events and the auction house. This is the premium currency used for in-game purchases.
2. Soland: Earned through in-game activities, used for crafting, upgrading, and buying from NPCs.
3. Ornamental Coins: Obtained from in-game activities, promotional events, and the free track of the battle pass, these are spent on cosmetics and progression items.

Concerns with Lucent

The main concern revolves around Lucent, the premium currency used in the auction house for purchasing and selling items. This could make the game feel pay-to-win, as players who spend real money might acquire items faster. However, free players can earn Lucent by selling items on the auction house, which balances the dynamic somewhat. Notably, only base-level gear can be sold, and top-end gear must be earned through gameplay.

In-Game Store

The in-game store sells Lucent for real money and various cosmetics. Importantly, purchased items are purely aesthetic, ensuring monetary purchases focus on character customization rather than gameplay advantages. This approach is common, as funding a completely free game with no purchase fee or subscription solely through cosmetics often proves insufficient.

Throne & Liberty offers two types of passes:

1. Levelling Pass: A one-time purchase per character that provides materials and items to enhance levelling, without offering exclusive power-related items.
2. Battle Pass: A monthly purchase providing aesthetic rewards, crafting materials, and in-game currency. It offers both free and premium rewards, ensuring all players benefit.

The levelling pass seems designed for an early-game cash grab, encouraging faster levelling, which might not be ideal at the game’s launch. The battle pass model is similar to Amazon Games’ New World, allowing free players to earn the premium pass through in-game activities.

Early Access

Early Access packs allow players to gain up to five days of early access. Early Access and launch servers will be separate initially to maintain fairness, with no server transfers until a specific time. While this prevents mixing items or players from different access periods, it does create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out), pushing players to pay for early access.

• Weapon Mastery: Cannot be increased through the auction house.
• Gear Score: Requires growth stones, which must be earned through gameplay.
• Skills: Require training books for enchantments, not available on the auction house.
• Gear Traits: Traits can be sold on the auction house, but enchantments must be done through gameplay.

The controversial Blessing of Solisium from the Korean version, which offers significant advantages, will not be available at launch in the western release. This indicates a commitment to avoiding pay-to-win mechanics, at least initially.

Throne & Liberty aims to balance monetization with fair gameplay. While premium currency and items are available, the game emphasizes earning essential progression items through in-game play. Cosmetic-only purchases and a player-driven economy support their commitment to avoiding pay-to-win. Players will need to engage with the game to advance, ensuring a level playing field. Though there are some cash grab items like the Early Access and levelling pass, these are expected in a free-to-play MMORPG.

Overall, while paying players might gain a slight edge, core progression and the best gear still require dedicated gameplay, suggesting Amazon and NCSoft strive to avoid a truly pay-to-win model.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Do you think the game is pay-to-win? What are your major concerns about Throne & Liberty? Let me know in The Tank Club Discord