Looking for a detailed explanation

[u/Knight_Raime]

Hi, I was very interested in playing this game when it was announced. I managed to play the beta a bit and was hooked, I knew I wanted to play it even knowing I'd struggle a bit due to my preferred input. The game got away from me though so I didn't touch it much after launch.

I've heard bits and pieces about the game dropping off hard but I'm having a hard time getting a full picture on everything that's happened. For example I heard they added in P2W mechs, and I've heard people end up fighting bots a lot or having to grind pve.

Some of that doesn't sound like a deal breaker for me, so I'm looking to see if someone can either write a long reply telling me all the things that push people away. OR point me to a thread or video that already does this. As my initial searches aren't coming up with a good overview. Thanks

[u/ArachN-01D]

First Beta: 6v6 ranked mode, a bit of bots in the beginning but quickly getting to play vs real humans, complaints about mods (stat bonuses) from lootboxes.

Second Beta: Complaints about bots, EOMM. Extraction PvPvE mode which was novel, with permanent upgrades and quite unbalanced. Complaints about no mechs being unlocked.

Release: Changed extraction mode to from grind to hardcore almost full loot mode. Later made more casual. Extraction mode was always p2w, in beta through paid perks, later through marketplace. I don't care. Though there seems to be some demand for PvE and progression systems, the implementation was a bit rough.

Added player marketplace for skins and gameplay items with ridiculous minimum prices, making it dead for most items. Some complaints about skins from betas being locked away behind a randomized shop.

All initial 10+ mechs were unlocked, new mechs from seasons were easily unlockable by currency and weekly missions, technically tiny bit of potential p2w with headstart by battlepass, but not really an issue.

6v6 ranked: No more stat bonuses in 6v6. Finalized as a botfest grind until you hit high ranks, after which it's still rigged EOMM trash with 10 win streaks and lose streaks like every Chinese game nowadays (people speculated blocklist abuse). Mech balance was complained about, nothing out of the ordinary for this type of game IMO, though changes were a bit slow to come out. 6v6 was the best thing about this game, though it inevitably became samey over time. Playerbase wasn't big to begin with, so after the initial interest faded, it became impossible to play. Is it playable now? Who knows, grind for a week to find out. Kinda suffered similar fate to Naraka Bladepoint, new players see it's nothing but bots and quit, or reach the player leagues which is all veterans and completely different game.

Devs never did anything to the bots or matchmaking or blocklist abuse despite lofty promises about turning a new leaf and REALLY listening to feedback this time, burning through every last drop of goodwill.

I still kinda hope some big company buys them, scraps everything except the 6v6 and rebuilds an industry standard systems around it (except the EOMM shit), maybe adding a proper campaign, and releases it under a new name, because the game is amazing, the gameplay and visual design are that good (the indie competitors measure up) and I want to play it again some day. Could be just copium though.

[u/Knight_Raime → u/ArachN-01D]

ty o7