When the mobile title Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery was first announced, players were excited to be able to create their own wizards-in-training while interacting with series favourites. When the game finally came out it was surprisingly entertaining, way more than many were anticipating. The storyline was intriguing, the characters engaging, and the spells fun. There was just one glaring aspect to the game that many weren’t so fond of: microtransactions.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Now microtransactions in a mobile title aren’t anything new, and it’s a fair way to earn a profit for a free-to-play, or cheaply priced, game. That being said, it was the way the mircrotransactions were handled that many had issue with, including the very loud YouTube personality Jim “Jimquisition” Sterling.
The video above is just one of many voices claiming that the game is a “self-playing” money grab meant to be a farming grounds for microtransactions with little else. Personally, I’m loving the title but I will admit that the paywall was frustrating at times, especially with the drawn out moments of “waiting it out” instead of paying up with real cash. For example, and an example many have used, is the part near the beginning of the game where the player is being suffocated and must either pay actual money or just sit and wait while their character chokes.
It looks like the team has noticed all of the outcry, because there has been a recent, and dramatic, price slash regarding the in-game gems. At least temporarily. We’re seeing price slashes up to 80% off, such as the offer of 575 gems for $4.99 versus the $9.99. Though it states it’s only for a limited time, we wonder how true that will remain or if it is a subtle way at addressing the controversy without outright confronting what the issue is.
What makes this truly odd is that there is another report stating that not all players are receiving these discounts. According to Eurogamer, EU players are noticing 130 gems being offered for 99p down from 4.99 Euro, where others are stating they’re not seeing anything at all.
So far, Warner Bros. has yet to comment on both the outcry and whether or not these discounts are temporary. For now, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is available now on iOS and Android devices.
