How do you guys feel about all these battle passes in games now?

[Veronica Winston]

Seems like every game these days has a battle pass. I'm kinda torn - sometimes they're a good deal, but other times it feels like a chore just to get my money's worth. Plus, I miss when you could just unlock cool stuff by playing the game. What do you all think? Are battle passes getting out of hand, or am I just being old school?

 

[Colif]

Only game i have played with a battle pass was Diablo 4. I don't play right games to see many of them.

I totally agree with you about being able to get everything by just playing the game but companies found its far more profitable to make people pay for the pretty skins.

Alas going back to how it should be is unlikely as trained seals... I mean, other players, have grown up used to having to buy everything and wouldn't expect to just be given things by just playing... some might want to buy advantage. Why should they play to get things that they can just buy.,.. balancing that shows who devs value more.

 

[ZedClampet]

Seems like every game these days has a battle pass. I'm kinda torn - sometimes they're a good deal, but other times it feels like a chore just to get my money's worth. Plus, I miss when you could just unlock cool stuff by playing the game. What do you all think? Are battle passes getting out of hand, or am I just being old school?

I liked them in Fallout 76 and Forza Horizon because they were free, although the Fallout 76 ones were so extensive it was like a full time job.

I'm not sure I've ever paid for a battle pass. Not so much that I'm against them as I'm just never so interested that I would spend money on them.

 

[Brian Boru]

What is a typical BP? Are we talking only cosmetics, or is there extra content, or are we into PtW?

How do they compare with Season Passes? What's the main diffs, if any?

 

[Rolfil]

Battlepass and Season Pass tend to be the same thing.
In each there is a free track that generally gives you a few cosmetics and some in game currency. The paid for versions will give you cosmetics you can only get this way and maybe a load more in game currency.

And yes they are in just about any online game now. So much that I just ignore them on principle. I'm there to play a game, not having my character outfitted in some neon glowing skin...

 

[Pifanjr]

Battle Passes pretty much always require way too much grinding to get everything and seem like lazy game design.

Even if it's just cosmetics, I would prefer each cosmetic to be earned for completing specific achievements instead of just playing for a particular amount of time.

 

[Brian Boru]

Ah, so these Passes are like government jobs—put in enough time and every so often you'll go up a level. Got it!

 

[Colif]

they basically serve two purposes
1. A means to make people play your silly game for a certain amount of time; and
2. Act as adverts to all those in game about what they missing by not having bought the silly things.

Most are just cosmetics.

How desirable the items are at the far end could be used to extend interest in a rather boring game... oh look, Diablo 4. I didn't really play it much after I got to end of the battle pass... it wasn't really reason I stopped but might have got me playing a little longer. I only had BP as it was part of the initial purchase.

Diablo 4 only still alive now because POE2 not out yet.

 

[Zloth]

I'm still not clear on what battle passes really are. To me, "Season Pass" just means you get all the DLC that shows up over the next year (or whatever they decide to call a season). It doesn't have anything to do with whatever freaky currencies a game has.

But then people talk about having to grind for them... huh?? Is this something about those "daily quests" things? I've only seen those in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey and I think one of the Watch Dogs games - and I barely gave them a second look.

Diablo 4 only still alive now because POE2 not out yet.

Came out years ago!

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[Colif]

Path of Exile 2 on Steam

Path of Exile 2 is a next generation free-to-play Action RPG from Grinding Gear Games, featuring co-op for up to six players. Set years after the original Path of Exile, you will return to the dark world of Wraeclast and seek to end the corruption that is spreading.

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[Pifanjr]

I'm still not clear on what battle passes really are. To me, "Season Pass" just means you get all the DLC that shows up over the next year (or whatever they decide to call a season). It doesn't have anything to do with whatever freaky currencies a game has.

But then people talk about having to grind for them... huh?? Is this something about those "daily quests" things? I've only seen those in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey and I think one of the Watch Dogs games - and I barely gave them a second look.

It is related to those "daily quest" things. Games with daily quests don't necessarily have a battle pass and games with a battle pass don't necessarily have daily quests, but they both serve the purpose of getting the player to keep playing the game regularly.

A battle pass is a system where a player can earn points by playing the game (for example, by completing daily quests) and get a reward every time they've earned enough points. Notably, a battle pass is (typically) only valid for a specific amount of time, giving players a time limit if they want to earn every reward on the battle pass and giving them an incentive to keep returning to the game.

In some (most?) games you have to pay to receive the rewards from the battle pass. Often, some of the rewards are free, while you have to pay to get the rest of the rewards. Of course, every time you claim the free rewards the game also shows you all of the rewards you would get if you pay for the battle pass.

 

[Veronica Winston]

Diablo 4.

Diablo 4 i used to play this one but got bored

I liked them in Fallout 76 and Forza Horizon because they were free, although the Fallout 76 ones were so extensive it was like a full time job.

I'm not sure I've ever paid for a battle pass. Not so much that I'm against them as I'm just never so interested that I would spend money on them

Yeah Fallout 76 and Forza is good stuff