The developers behind Moonbreaker have completely overhauled its Early Access business model to remove all microtransactions and monetization from the game.
Developer Unknown Worlds detailed the game’s first major content update, dubbed “Zax’s Story,” in a post on Moonbreaker’s Steam page. The newly-released patch features a ton of community-driven changes to gameplay, such as the removal of monetization, which means the in-game store is getting disabled and in-game currencies are being withdrawn.
“We’ve been reading and evaluating everything you’ve suggested on our Discord and Nolt board – which already helped to guide our decision to remove Cargo Run Contracts from Moonbreaker – and have been diligently reviewing every area of the game,” Unknown Worlds said in the post, addressing the changes they’re making to better reflect Early Access goals.
As such, Pulsars will no longer be available and all Pulsar purchases will be automatically refunded via Steam, while Founder’s Pack Pulsars will be replaced with a new Zax and Slopper Skin. Blanks and Merits will be replaced with Sparks, which can be used to upgrade a Unit’s Rarity, but all Units will now be unlocked with the base game, putting an end to Booster Boxes.
The developer added an FAQ-style section at the end of the blog post in the hopes of answering any questions that players might have in relation to the update, as they also “made some balance changes to Astra, as well as adjusted a handful of ship assist, removed some of the randomness in the game, and much more,” based on ongoing Early Access feedback.
IGN’s Matt Purslow raised concerns over the game’s loot box-fulled microtransaction system in his Moonbreaker Early Access review. He said it “tarnished the experience,” but now the update has brought about these changes, we can get back to playing the “fun and approachable skirmish game” that puts “an emphasis on smart turn-by-turn tactics.”
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.