Pokemon Unite player criticizes Black Friday sale is not worth the hype

A recent Reddit post by user Tidus_555 has sparked a heated debate about the value of in-game purchases in Pokemon Unite, particularly the game’s Black Friday sale. According to Tidus_555, the sale features a pack of five skins priced at 8,796 Aeos Gems, which roughly equates to $152 in real money. This amounts to more than 30 USD per skin in what is supposedly a discounted bundle.

"This game is a SCAM"

[BLACK FRIDAY] this game is a f*cking SCAM. byu/Tidus_555 inPokemonUnite

In their post, Tidus_555 expressed frustration, calling the pricing “a scam” and urging players not to spend money on the game. The post has since gathered significant attention, with many players voicing their concerns over the high costs of in-game cosmetics.

The Pokemon Unite community was quick to echo the sentiment that the Black Friday sale is overpriced and several users even criticized TiMi Studio Group’s monetization model.

Redditor Tokoyami01 calculated that the equivalent price in USD for five skins is approximately $152.32, which is more than the cost of two AAA games combined.

A post by Tidus_555 stirred up an intense discussion among the players (Image via Reddit)

They argued that players could instead spend their money on games that offer hundreds of hours of gameplay, making Pokemon Unite’s pricing seem even more unreasonable.

Meanwhile, Lizard_Queen_Says claimed that the game’s pricing issues are nothing new. They pointed out that despite the complaints, players continue to engage with the game and make purchases, enabling the studio to maintain its high prices.

This Reddit thread added many layers to understanding the game's monetization (Image via Reddit)

This dynamic, they suggested, will persist as long as the player base remains active and willing to pay.

The ongoing support from “whales” (high-spending players) and regular players was also identified as a major reason why prices haven’t shifted. Lizard_Queen_Says continued by stating that free-to-play and low-spending players are essential to the game’s ecosystem, as their presence attracts high spenders.

Comment byu/Tidus_555 from discussion inPokemonUnite

However, they contended that the only way to force change would be for players to collectively uninstall the game - although they acknowledged this would likely lead to the servers shutting down rather than price adjustments.

Interestingly, players still held onto hope for change. ThePlanetIsDyingNow noted that if TiMi lowered the prices of skins, more players might purchase them, ultimately generating more revenue in the long term.

Comment byu/Tidus_555 from discussion inPokemonUnite

They also suggested that affordable pricing could lead to impulse purchases and greater overall spending compared to the current reliance on whales.

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Can you enjoy Pokemon Unite without spending money?

Black Friday sale screen in-game (Image via The Pokemon Company)

While Pokemon Unite’s premium cosmetics are expensive, the game remains accessible for free-to-play players. The core gameplay is not locked behind a paywall, and all Pokemon are eventually obtainable through gameplay.

However, some players feel that the steep pricing for cosmetic items creates a divide between those who can afford to spend money and those who cannot.

For those who prioritize gameplay over aesthetics, Pokemon Unite is still enjoyable without spending money. However, players looking to customize their experience with skins or premium features may find the prices prohibitive.

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The Pokemon Unite Black Friday sale controversy underscores an ongoing issue in many free-to-play games: balancing monetization with accessibility. While the current pricing strategy caters to whales, it alienates a large portion of the player base.

Whether TiMi Studio Group will address these concerns remains to be seen, but for now, many players are voicing their discontent and calling for a fairer approach to pricing.

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