Dragon's Dogma 2 has launched today on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5 and PC, and so far there's been quite a lot of grumbling about performance and various other things - including how the game implements microtransactions.
Although we didn't get access to what Capcom is describing as "paid DLC" ahead of launch, it was detailed in our review guide. You get most of it with the Deluxe Edition of the game on Xbox, and a lot is included in the optional £11.98 / $14.99 "New Journey Pack" as well - or alternatively you can buy everything separately for a small fee each time.
Here's an example of some of the microtransactions on offer for DD2 content on Xbox:
- Harpysnare Smoke Beacons - Harpy Lure Item
- Heartfelt Pendant - A Thoughtful Gift
- Ambivalent Rift Incense - Change Pawn Inclinations
- Makeshift Gaol Key - Escape from gaol!
- Art of Metamorphosis - Character Editor
- Wakestone - Restore the dead to life! (A)
- 1500 Rift Crystals - Points to Spend Beyond the Rift (A)
And the following is an example of the controversy these microtransactions have caused:
Now, as much as we can understand this is an annoying tactic that we'd rather Capcom didn't employ, the good news is that you don't need to engage with any of these microtransactions in order to enjoy Dragon's Dogma 2.
There also appears to be some false information going around on social media (for example, you don't have to pay to change your character's appearance), although we also recognise that some members of the DD2 community are clearly disappointed to see "paid DLC" infiltrating the game on day one.
Here are a couple of contrasting opinions we've spotted on the DD2 subreddit in recent hours:
However you feel about it, it's clearly generating a lot of debate! It'll be interesting to see how Capcom responds...