Lineage 2 Introduces Highly Questionable P2W Cash Shop Items
A best-in-slot item in the cash shop? That's pretty much classic pay-to-win, right? Oh wait, it's not automatically BIS, it only becomes that if you upgrade it properly. And the upgrade item ... is also in the cash shop. Well, now.
That appears to be what Lineage 2 is doing with its new Circlets of Power. As MassivelyOP discovered, these Circlets require a lot to get them to their highest power levels, including three rounds of enchanting it from +0 to +5, each of which requires a Blessed Circlet Enchant Scroll -- "available for a limited time in the L2 Store" -- and the first five of which have a chance (no word on what that chance is) of failing and resetting all your progress. You can examine the entire overwrought process here.
Players are, unsurprisingly, not very happy about it all, with many voicing their displeasure on the announcement thread.
While revenue for the first Lineage game has been trending downward for about a year now, Lineage 2 has been small-ish but steady for about half a decade now, so there wouldn't seem to be some quick "need an infusion of cash now" method to NCSoft's madness. Or maybe the success of Lineage M on mobile has the company re-examining the profitability of its other titles and there is a sudden need to financially justify the existence of one of NCSoft's "lesser" games.
About the Author

Jason Winter is a veteran gaming journalist, he brings a wide range of experience to MMOBomb, including two years with Beckett Media where he served as the editor of the leading gaming magazine Massive Online Gamer. He has also written professionally for several gaming websites.
You May Enjoy
Watch Tera’s Final Quest On YouTube, Because You’re Not Going To Be Able To Play It
Unless you played on the Korean servers, that is.
By QuintLyn Bowers - 1 week agoElyon Summer Update Video Offers Details On New Melee Class
Also highlighted are the Secret Sea hunting ground and manamechs.
By QuintLyn Bowers - 1 week agoHead Of Xbox Game Studios Is "Confident" Bethesda Doesn't Have Crunch Culture Despite Rising Allegations
Could this be a case of a leader not really knowing what's happening on the ground floor?
By Anthony Jones - 6 hours agoNexon Drops Launch Trailer For Beat ‘Em Up DNF Duel
Soon, fans of Dungeon and Fighter can get their battle on.
By QuintLyn Bowers - 1 week agoSummerfest Returns To Rift With Part One Of A Hot Two Part Event Complete With Rewards
Mark the longest days of summer with battles, pinatas, and corgis.
By QuintLyn Bowers - 9 hours agoMarvel's Avengers War Table Weekly Update Teases Mighty Thor: Jane Foster Answering The Call
As always, don’t miss out on this week’s free item.
By Aspen Pash - 5 days ago
Pure nostalgia which now fades away in an instant