Marvel Snap is facing backlash over steadily increasing pay-to-win style bundles, with the most recent costing £89.99
When it launched last year, many fans praised Marvel Snap’s approach to monetisation. If they wanted, players could spend around £10 on a season pass that included a separate rewards ladder and some unique cards.
There was also the option to buy gold, which could then be spent ingame on variant cards and credits, which in turn could be spent on upgrading cards. However all of that was available from just playing games of Marvel Snap.
Recently though, developers Second Dinner Studios have been steadily introducing more expensive bundles. Throughout January, the game offered “hero bundles” for £40, which included two cards, two avatars and a few thousand tokens. Now, Marvel Snap has introduced a “pro bundle” for £89.99.
“For new players who want to jump right in, we’re releasing a one-time purchase, ‘Pro Bundle’ with 12,500 Credits and enough boosters to upgrade 8 cards from Common to Infinity.”
$99.99!?
I would love an explanation as to why these prices are like this… #MarvelSnap https://t.co/rZEo3p6BWC pic.twitter.com/5EHVtOEsUK
— Phillip J. Woodward (@PhillJWoodward) January 11, 2023
The bundle is apparently aimed at new players and comes with 12500 credits and enough boosters to raise a player’s cards by 250 collection levels, which could take 8 cards from common to infinity.
However, the move is causing backlash among fans.
“Imagine being a new player and immediately dropping 100 real cash into the game. Absolute madness. The cards and collection levels come thick and fast if you’re a new player. I know there are whales out there, but free to play mobile pricing continues to completely baffle me. I can get two pretty new PS5 games for the same price. This basically gets you a few cards, many of which you’ll replace pretty quickly. The value for money is so off,” wrote one player on Reddit.
“I just don’t get how we go from a £3 Captain America bundle to this. Ridiculous pricing,” added another.
Meanwhile on Twitter, one player wrote: “Selling this ludicrously expensive bundle amidst outcry from the Marvel Snap community about the game’s affordability is completely tone deaf and insulting to players. Best mobile game of 2022 about to become the biggest swindle of 2023.”
“Marvel Snap just casually adding a bundle that costs over £90 ….I might just stop playing,” added another.
Second Dinner Studios are yet to comment on the criticism.
In a five-star review, NME wrote: “Simple, nuanced, design makes Marvel Snap an essential play not just for card game fans but for anyone that might have a few minutes to kill. It won’t turn every player into a card shark, but it’s bound to win fans in unusual places, and with a low barrier to entry you’re really only hurting yourself if you don’t give it a go.”
In other news, a Twitch streamer has set a new world record for speedrunning Super Mario Galaxy 2 during a Games Done Quick stream – check it out here.
