‘Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla’ backlash: Players are disappointed that many gameplay items are locked in microtransactions

Thousands of “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla” fans have voiced their concerns over a pattern that they noticed in the game recently. On top of having a few new gameplay contents to unlock, many of them have reportedly been locked in microtransactions.

Why Ubisoft is facing backlash from ‘Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla’ fans

Microtransactions, especially for single-player games like “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla,” will always be a highly debated topic. It is simply a system where some of the features, gameplay content, and game boosts can be unlocked when players pay with real money.

While it has become a staple in every game, “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla” players noticed something that has led to the disappointment of many. As Reddit user Zuazzer pointed out, about half of the armor sets released in the game so far are only accessible through microtransactions. There are also items that players do not have to pay with real money but are technically not free either. The Bayek Legacy Outfit can be collected by earning enough UPlay reward points, while the Carolingian Dynasty Gear Pack can be accessed upon using Amazon Prime, respectively.

The same post, which has been upvoted by 96% or more than 5,600 Reddit users, also commented that “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla” has not gotten a substantial content update in previous months. Even the ones being released through microtransactions are purportedly cosmetics only for the most part.

Players suggest not buying on day one or using hacks to unlock game items

“Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla” fans have been reacting to this long-running issue in different ways. While some try to defend it or brush it off, many agree that this pattern should not be common practice. Fans also pointed out that it is even more disappointing that this is happening in the middle of a pandemic when many players turn to video games for comfort.

Others appear to have given up hope that developers will try to improve the microtransactions system and how they release post-launch content. Some video game fans responding to the “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla” discussion said this practice was the reason they stopped buying the game on day one.

Others, however, told fellow players to just unlock items by using a cheat engine -- something that is only possible for those using PCs. Meanwhile, “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla” players are also bringing up the supposed practice of forced level-scaling that would eventually compel players to buy XP boosts.