Moonbreaker is a tabletop turn-based strategy game from Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds. The title started as an early access game on September 29, 2022, and the first content update is now to follow. And that's what it's all about: The developer throws the previous monetization concept completely overboard.
Monetization flies out of the game
This will remove all in-game purchases and completely disable the in-game shop. Moonbreaker currently costs around 30 euros on Steam; there are no more ways to put money into the game. The premium currency Pulsars will be canceled without replacement. Unknown Worlds will provide full refunds for previous real-money purchases, and players who purchased the Founders Pack will receive two skins as compensation.
From now on, all playable characters, both captains and crew units, are automatically unlocked with the base game; the booster boxes are gone. Even units that are only added with new updates should be immediately unlocked for all players. The two currencies, Blanks and Merits, will be replaced by Sparks, which can be used to purchase purely cosmetic rarity upgrades for units. Furthermore, Unknown Worlds accommodates the players in the progression within a season: It should now progress faster. An FAQ about the comprehensive adjustments can be found below the official blog entry.
Unusual procedure should support early access concept
It is no longer unusual for publishers or developers to add sometimes offensive in-game monetization only after a new game has been released and established. On the one hand, possible youth protection restrictions or warnings can be circumvented in this way, and on the other hand, there is no potential criticism of microtransactions in tests and reviews. The fact that this path is now being taken in the other direction is a special feature shortly after the start of a new title. Unknown Worlds is communicating the changes as a result of player feedback over the past few weeks. Ultimately, the monetization could not be reconciled with the early access concept.
We've been reading and evaluating everything you've suggested on our Discord and Nolt board […] and have been diligently reviewing every area of the game. Based on your ongoing feedback, we are re-aligning to make Moonbreaker better reflect our Early Access goals.
It is important to us, especially during Early Access, to build an amazing game alongside our community and focus on making Moonbreaker as fun as possible.
Early Access is a time for us to experiment and improve the game, and the monetization in its current form was affecting that goal. So we're removing it to focus on making the best game that we can, before we leave Early Access.
Unknown Worlds
Gameplay adjustments and a radio play series
In addition, the update to Early Access version 1.1 comes with some gameplay adjustments and balancing changes. The developers' goal was to bring Moonbreaker closer to traditional tabletop games. There's also a new map and a rework of Captain Astra. A full listing of all changes can be found in the patch notes.
Furthermore, the second episode of the radio play series “Moonbreaker: Tales from the Reaches” has been released. It is based on the science fiction universe designed by fantasy author Brandon Sanderson.