Dying Light 2 adds a premium currency prompting a wave of negative Steam reviews

Fans are outraged that Techland's zombie parkour title Dying Light 2 has officially added a premium currency dubbed "Dying Light Points," offering a faster way to gain access to in-game bundles.

The details:

• Techland has released the Summertime Update for Dying Light 2, which includes a crossover event with Payday 2, new animations, bug fixes, and, much to the chagrin of the game's playerbase, a new premium currency called DL Points. According to Techland's FAQ for the new currency, the points allow players to "stay in the game" and "get better deals" on skin bundles that were previously only available for purchase using actual cash on each platform's respective storefront.
• The developer explained the reasoning behind the introduction of the points, stating that not only will it be a more "straightforward" way for players to purchase the skins they want, but it will also make the developers' lives "easier" now that each bundle will no longer need to be listed on every platform store. Following the update, PlayStation players will no longer be able to buy bundles with real money on the PS Store, and the additional content will be gradually removed from the new in-game store on other platforms.
• Fans' reactions to the change have been unsurprisingly negative, with many criticizing the decision in Steam reviews. Some have blamed Tencent, which recently acquired Techland, but the studio denies Tencent’s involvement in its FAQ about the points.
• Others have criticized the fact that, despite receiving 500 DL Points for free, bundles typically cost 550 points to purchase, effectively forcing players to top up an extra 500 points to buy anything worthwhile. In addition to the limited currency provided to players, the 500 free points have an expiration date of October 7, putting pressure on fans to spend them before they become invalid.

More gaming news:

• Nintendo reportedly showed its new console to developers behind closed doors at Gamescom 2023, with the system powerful enough to run Epic's The Matrix Awakens demo, which was previously used to demonstrate the power of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
• Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida has stated that Square Enix has no plans to make the MMORPG free to play and will instead continue to expand the game's generous free trial over time. Without a subscription, players can currently play the base game and its first two expansions for free.