Hello Slayers!

After combing through tons of feedback about aethersparks (thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts!) and talking through it within the studio, we've decided to make aethersparks an earned-only currency.

Starting in 1.5.3, aethersparks will no longer be listed for purchase in the in-game store. We’re also increasing their drop rate substantially and will continue to tune their output in order to ensure a natural progression loop. We’re also considering allowing players to use aethersparks to purchase aetherhearts without having to reforge, but this will take some additional development time and further thought. Let us know what you think!

Aethersparks were always intended to serve as a reward currency that encourages players to engage with the game through reforging. With Reforged, we wanted players to experience the breadth of Dauntless through a looping prestige system. This was to avoid the problem of one endgame activity that players would grind endlessly, and ensure that players are experiencing all Dauntless has to offer. We still believe aethersparks, aetherhearts, and reforging serve this design purpose.We are taking this opportunity to share the way we think about monetization in Dauntless. We initially made the decision to be a free-to-play game in order to make sure Dauntless was accessible to all gamers on every platform. Being free-to-play means that we need to earn the revenue to sustain our game through other avenues. While we experiment and try new things, we always strive to make sure these avenues are fair, transparent, and high value.

The recent aethersparks conversation (within the community and our studio) lead us to revisiting our commerce philosophy. We’ve established four pillars to guide us as we make decisions surrounding future MTX options. The pillars are: Part of the Loop, Clear Options & Real Choice, Addition Without Subtraction, and A Reason to Believe. Let’s dive into each of these individually to explore what they mean.

Part of the Loop

Spending platinum should always support your core experience in Dauntless: being a badass Slayer. Wherever you spend, the result should get you more out of each hunt, empower you to be the Slayer you want to be, and help create positive experiences with your friends. We want every purchase to feel both valuable and substantial.

What this means: This means that the items you buy have an impact on your Dauntless experience, whether that’s by enhancing a certain area of the game (such as Elite players receiving bonus rewards/perks) or helping you fulfill your cosmetic dreams.What this doesn’t mean: This does not mean cutting off access to core Dauntless features. Everyone should be able to join their friends anywhere in the Shattered Isles and participate in any activity as a team.

Clear Options & Real Choice

As we move forward, there may be more items like the Twin Suns (exotic repeaters) that offer new gameplay for platinum. Those purchases should serve as shortcuts to content that can otherwise be earned for free. Choices between premium and free routes to gameplay should be presented clearly and be free from an obligation to purchase.

What this means: Spending platinum is one path to rewards — but not the only one. This means being able to look at an item and immediately know how to earn it without spending platinum. Cool new weapon? Of course you can grind that out, but if you want it now, there might be a platinum option.What this doesn’t mean: This doesn't mean grind options will be so unreasonable they might as well not exist. And it doesn’t mean the best way to become powerful will be to spend platinum.

Addition Without Subtraction

Spending platinum adds something new to your game. Players should feel like purchases add to their experience, but don’t hinder those who want to play for free. We never want players to feel like they need platinum to make an incomplete feature feel whole.

What this means: This means all game modes, content, Behemoths, and other core experiences will always be free for every player.

What this doesn’t mean: This doesn’t mean spending players will tower over non-spending players when it comes to Slayer power. This is something we’ve always wanted to avoid, and any power gained through direct purchases will have a free route as mentioned under the previous pillar.

A Reason to Believe

Context and communication make the value of each offer immediately clear. Players should understand what each offer is, where it lives, and how it impacts their experience.

What this means: This means clear communication before a feature launches and straightforward in-game information. We want players to know when premium offers are coming, what value they hold, and how they serve the core experience of Dauntless. They should also know all potential earnable routes.

What this doesn’t mean: This doesn’t mean spam or misleading offers. All messaging should be clear, concise, and add context to the purchase. This pillar is about ensuring everything offered has a reason to exist. It'll be clear who each offer is for and why it has value.

To Summarize

It’s important to note that these pillars work together in tandem. These are guides for decision-making, not a hard list of what you will or won’t find in the Dauntless store. Each pillar exists to help us make healthy decisions for our fans. Dauntless will continue to have premium options for paying players. We’re in this to bring players together through awesome multiplayer experiences, and generating revenue is how we make sure that can continue to happen. When it comes down to it, this is how we keep the lights on in our studio and our employees (and their families) happy, but it doesn’t mean it should come at the cost of your experience. As always, please continue to send us your feedback and let us know how you feel. With your help, we can create a world where we all win as Slayers.

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