'Silent Hill: Ascension' Faces Backlash Over Microtransactions: A Sign Of Gaming Industry's Problem?

Konami Group ADR's KONMY "Silent Hill: Ascension" — an interactive streaming series released on Halloween — has stirred controversy among the franchise's fans due to unexpected microtransactions.

What Happened: "Ascension" is free to access. However, it offers microtransactions, including a $20 Founder's Pack that includes a Season Pass, in-game puzzles, and cosmetic items like emotes.

The central gameplay involves group-based real-time voting to determine the story's progression. Viewers can also use Influence Points (IP) to sway decisions. IP can be purchased with real money, giving those with more IP greater influence in the narrative choices.

See Also: Microtransactions Dominate 30% Of The $200 Billion Gaming Market – This Startup Is Fighting Back

Why It Matters: Fans took to social media and forums to express their frustration, claiming that the game has a pay-to-win aspect.

Some voiced concerns about not being able to access certain puzzles without the Season Pass. Redditors criticized the quality of the experience, citing laggy quick-time events, a poor story, and unappealing animation.

Despite the microtransaction controversy, some fans remained hopeful for other Silent Hill projects in development, like the "Silent Hill 2" remake.

Jacob Navok, the CEO of Genvid, the publisher behind "Ascension," defended the game, asserting that all decisions and content are free, and no video content is behind a paywall. He emphasized that the microtransactions are primarily for cosmetic unlocks and don't affect narrative control.

Navok also stressed that the game's economy and content availability would grow as the product develops, accommodating a larger audience.

"We continue to make improvements on the interface and take user's feedback into consideration," the CEO told IGN.

This isn't the first time microtransactions have come under public scrutiny. Recently, "Mortal Kombat 1" faced backlash from fans for introducing paid microtransactions for seasonal Fatalities — special edition maneuvers that a victor of a match can inflict on his or her opponent.

Read Next: Mortal Kombat 1 Faces Backlash For Premium Halloween Fatalities, Microtransactions

Image courtesy of Genvid.