Xbox Game Studios’ upcoming title, Towerborne, a side-scrolling action RPG, is set to launch on February 26th. Originally planned as a free-to-play online game, the studio has announced a significant shift to a paid model that offers offline play capabilities.
Trisha Stouffer, CEO of Towerborne developer Stoic, highlighted the transformation required to enable offline play, emphasizing a more robust and player-friendly experience. This decision follows feedback from the gaming community during Early Access and Game Preview, expressing a desire for a complete game experience without ongoing monetization mechanics.
The move to a premium model aims to deliver a polished game upfront, devoid of live-service elements such as pay-to-win systems, catering to players seeking a different gaming experience from the prevalent live service games like Fortnite and Roblox.
With the upcoming 1.0 release, Towerborne promises a full story, new bosses, a revamped difficulty system, and the ability to earn in-game cosmetics through gameplay without the need for additional purchases. Existing early access players will retain access to the game post-launch.
This strategic shift in Towerborne’s monetization approach signifies a departure from the trend of live-service games, offering players a one-time purchase option with offline play convenience, potentially reshaping the landscape of gaming monetization strategies.
Source: The Verge