Ubisoft has caught some heat in the past for what gamers have described as predatory micro transactions. Its two most recent entries into its signature Assassin’s Creed saga featured several instances where large progression walls interrupted the flow of the story.
In plain English, the player would finish a mission only to discover that the next mission in question comes with a recommended level far beyond that of the previous one. That means a seemingly never ending grind to level up before the story can continue.
Ubisoft also dangled a carrot in front of players in the form of an EXP boost that could be purchased for real money. The player could then power up twice as fast and continue the game without having to spend days at a time grinding for levels.
According to the creative developer for the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, that is not a tactic Ubisoft is going to repeat.
Ashraf Ismail, who is heading up the project, talked at length about the game’s EXP system, stating that Ubisoft has learned from the complaints gamers had as it pertains to Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey.
“So we’ve reflected a lot since Origins on progression and what that means for players,” Ismail said. “We have a new take on progression in this game. We have more the concept of power. Power that is gained through, let’s say, the player gaining skills.”
He went on to say that his team is actively avoiding and kind of progression wall. That’s great news for more linear gamers who like to bypass side missions and move onto the meat of the story. Every Assassin’s Creed has featured a wealth of side missions which can be used to unlock new skills, weapons, armor, and story elements. But the beauty of side quests is that they are, by and large, skippable. Some people like to just play a game for the story, and treat it like an interactive movie. That’s not really possible when one has to engage in a bunch of side missions in order to progress.
When asked about the controversial EXP boosters of old, Ismail did not reveal much. He gave no indication whether Valhalla would feature something similar, however he did state that his team wants to earn “every single penny that you’re going to pay,” for the base game.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out when Assassin’s Creed Valhalla releases.
