Firaxis Games' upcoming superhero strategy game, Marvel's Midnight Suns, will reportedly feature cosmetic microtransactions. The developer, which previously created the XCOM turn-based strategy series, hopes to introduce players to the dark and mystical side of the Marvel Comics universe. Marvel's Midnight Suns will therefore allow players to lead their team of heroes against demonic foes which are led by the demon sorceress Lilith.
While the two turn-based series do share a developer, Marvel's Midnight Suns will be different from XCOM; apparently drastically so. The XCOM games put players in the role of a shapeless commander who leads a squad of soldiers against a huge army of powerful aliens. Midnight Suns, meanwhile, casts players as a wholly original warrior named The Hunter who is fully customizable, allowing players to chose both their appearance and abilities. Role-playing elements will allow The Hunter to have a distinct personality and form relationships with other Marvel heroes. A unique hub area, The Abbey, will also allow The Hunter to explore for loot and interact with their superpowered allies. A recent Midnight Suns gameplay reveal also announced that the game will be card-based, with players forming a deck of abilities and attacks which are then made available during gameplay. This card system adds a random element to combat, which should keep Earth's Mightiest Heroes on their toes despite their immense power.
After the reveal of Marvel's Midnight Suns' card-based nature worried some fans, developer Firaxis Games has confirmed on Twitter that the mechanic will not be tied to microtransactions. Many card-based titles allow players to purchase digital loot boxes which contain a random assortment of cards. This practice forces gamers to spend money in-game for a better chance at success, but Firaxis has confirmed that Marvel's Midnight Suns will not contain loot boxes or any other way to purchase cards. Instead, microtransactions will only be used to acquire new cosmetic items, which have no effect on gameplay, and many cosmetics can be acquired without spending any money.
Marvel's Midnight Suns contains a roster of at least nine Marvel Comics heroes in addition to The Hunter, and these nine superheroes all have long histories both within comic books and other media. Firaxis therefore has many opportunities to craft recognizable skins based on characters' past appearances. For example, a free Blade skin is being offered to players who sign up for the strategy game's newsletter, giving the vampire hunter his appearance from the early 90's comic series Nightstalkers. The free skin also suggests that there will be many ways to acquire skins in Midnight Suns besides spending real-world currency.
While the card-based nature of Marvel's Midnight Suns has surprised some fans, the game will thankfully not be plagued by microtransactions. Locking game mechanics behind money is a sure way to frustrate gamers, but simple cosmetic items do not have a direct affect on gameplay. By restricting the use of microtransactions to cosmetic items only, Firaxis Games can ensure that Midnight Suns remains accessible to all players.
Marvel's Midnight Suns will release in March 2o22 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Source: Marvel's Midnight Suns/Twitter