Atlas Reactor Changes Gears: Goes Buy-to-Play

Michael Byrne
By Michael Byrne, Editor in Chief Posted:
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Atlas Reactor is joining the ranks of free-to-play games going buy-to-play according to today's Producer's Letter. Unlike Overwatch and some other games that were just assumed to be free-to-play and ended up buy-to-play, Trion Worlds has been advertising Atlas Reactor as a free-to-play game and apparently just decided that the model would be unsustainable and made the switch.

In fact, Atlas Reactor's in-game systems are totally built around the free-to-play model and Trion Worlds acknowledges in the letter that players liked their model. "Your reactions have been extremely positive towards Atlas Reactor’s cosmetic and boost-based microtransaction system. We don’t monetize power, and everything that impacts gameplay (such as Freelancers and their Modifications) can be earned via gameplay. We are proud of this system: you get a ton of play options, and it’s fair," says Peter Ju, Executive Producer.

Trion Worlds seemed concerned with what they might have to do to the cash shop to make it sustainable long term though and decided a buy-to-play future was a better option. Atlas Reactor will now start at $29.99 for the full version of the game with all current Freelancers and future Freelancers (this pack is currently on sale for $19.99). Two other purchase options are more expensive but add more items. These packages can be viewed here.

How Trion was able to forecast the sustainability of the free-to-play model based on a limited Closed Beta where they flooded the players with currency to test systems is beyond me, but if you bought a Founder's Pack, don't worry, you're going to be taken care of as well.

To everyone who has already supported us by buying a Founder’s pack or purchasing in-game credits, thank you so much for your support. We want to make sure you’re taken care of in this transition. As a result, if you have already bought $10 or more of in-game credits, or bought any of the current Founder’s packs, you now own the game! Additionally, if you purchased the Starter Pack, Freelancer Pack, or Trust Pack, you will be receiving a ton of additional rewards.

It's an odd choice for me personally given that the game was actually built to be free-to-play and the change comes out of nowhere. A clearly niche game closing off the door to free-to-play players...I hope Trion has made the right decision on the right data. One thing is for sure, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during that meeting. What do you think?

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In this article: Trion Worlds, Atlas Reactor.

About the Author

Michael Byrne
Michael Byrne, Editor in Chief

Mike “Magicman” Byrne has been a part of the MMOBomb family for years and serves as the site’s current Editor-in-Chief. His love for MMOs and gaming in general has led him to covering games for numerous gaming websites including Gamebreaker TV and XIV Nation where he proudly displays his fanboy flag for FFXIV:ARR.

More Stories by Michael Byrne

Discussion (26)

trionishsit 7 years ago
Just noticed its a trion game, NEVER TOUCH ANYTHING TRION , fuc king scammers, very bad support,., worst game company i met.

trionishsit 7 years ago
SO BRAINLESS DEVS I CANT BELIEVE :D Game is dead already and they making it buy to play :D:D:D Greedi brainless jews :D:D:D

rip off 7 years ago
b2p now means buy 2 get inside a f2p game lol

teppic 7 years ago
So Trion, one of the main companies that has helped to utterly destroy the free to play model's reputation, has decided to abandon it because the model's now got a bad reputation. The irony is horrible.

devilr 7 years ago
I was expecting this dumb moove from them , i saw the game i was like okey looking good then i saw trion i was like okey nop nop nop new bullshit incoming i am not even gonna try it .... Thx trion for ruining good game because you went da money .

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Deathloche 7 years ago
Well like I said you guys are running out of games to talk about. One of many games you guys can't say anything about. Oh well. and to everyone bitching about the game going buy to play, if you can't afford 20 or 30 bucks you don't need to playing games at all.

Rukia 7 years ago
I don't want to sound like a ditch but I think we will see letter about laid off and game director moving to new studio soon form Trion. Trion will become the next game Day Break soon (tm)

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Koutsu 7 years ago
Trion really really doesn't want players liking them at all. Don't see a bright future for Atlas Reactor with this news, especially with the planned launch B2P price.....

meh 7 years ago
HA ha ʰᵃ

EbeNouBou 7 years ago
so they will still keep the current model but put a price tag on the game itself ? So now free to play are morphing into this buy to play pay to win crap ? I guess that is the new norm now because many are already doing it.... Hey guys I have this game for 30 bucks but if you want to unlock more stuff and buy boosters you will have to buy those on top of the 30 bucks....

So its like taking the idea of free to play and pushing it all into a buy to play title... I wonder how long those games will last till they decide okay lets go free to play now but limit them to a point where we force them to pay for the full game and then some.... I don't know I see a bad future for games anymore and most of them are not very interesting long enough to grant a $30 dollar price tag if that was the case I would rather spend that money on something else...

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Urs00 7 years ago
great idea Trion, take a game that not a lot of people play and ditch 90% of them xD

it is sad because the game does look good, but it is Trion, we all expect by now that they will f* up something

btw, what if you bought a founders because the game was f2p and now you don't want it anymore because of this change?

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grimsbane 7 years ago
Is Trion serious, so they want to lose even more money and have even more financial struggles, because this game is not as good as they advertise it to be, its turn based something that most people were hoping would never come back, and to be honest its not very appealing content wise and feels generally boring overall.

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Risea 7 years ago
2 hours to find a match, no one is going to buy this thing

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Jafarson 7 years ago
Overwatch and Lawbreakers ok.... but who will buy this trash game from trashion??????

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extasist 7 years ago
new trend.

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