How Assassin's Creed: Unity's micro-transactions work...

oo Yungstar oo

oo Yungstar oo

712 games and counting...
Sep 11, 2013
1,076
249
2,371
Assassin's Creed: Unity has launched in the UK and its micro-transaction prices are live, which means we're now able to investigate Ubisoft's new in-game purchasable currency to see how it works.

Five packs of micro-transaction currency, named Helix Credits, are currently available to buy. The packs range in price from £3.99 to an eye-watering £64.99.

Helix Credits are used to "hack" better weaponry and gear that would otherwise be worth a huge amount of francs - the regular currency you find when searching dead enemies and in chests.

500 Helix Credits costs £3.99, 1400 costs £7.99, 3200 costs £15.99, 9000 costs £39.99 and 20,000 costs £64.99.

On the lower end of the scale, £1 is equivalent to 125 Helix Credits, but there are savings - if you can call them that - in buying bigger amounts. Buy the most expensive pack and each £1 you spend is converted into just over 300 Helix Credits.

But Ubisoft has defended the addition of the currency - the first of its kind within the series - and reassured that it does not unlock any item which can't be found within the main campaign.

"Every item in the game is unlockable through player progression," a Ubisoft spokesperson explained to Eurogamer. "The progression and economy is tailored to not push the player to pay.

"Everything is balanced in a way that the player will never feel forced to buy, but rather to keep playing the game to access better gear and become stronger."

But how easy would it be to buy the items on offer naturally and without coughing up real world cash? We took a look at some examples.

The top-rated sword available to view when starting the game is the Cinquedeas. It holds a five diamond rating - the top equipment level. Normally the only way you could obtain it is by forking over 125,000 francs - which would take a huge amount of time to accumulate.

Alternatively, you can buy it for 1000 Helix Credits - £8 if you buy two of the 500 Helix Credit packs, or slightly less if you fork out for one of the larger packs.

It's the same story when looking at equipment. The top-rated headwear item we could see is the Legendary Brigand Hood. It usually costs 125,000 francs, or again is alternatively available for another 1000 Helix Credits.

Hundreds of these items are now available, and at least half - those which are designed to be bought, rather than those unlocked by completing mission types and objectives - can be "hacked" using Helix Credits instead of handing over francs.

Entirely new to the Assassin's Creed series are Boosts, which temporarily increase one of your stats for a short time period. The Stealth Boost, for example, "makes you significantly more difficult to detect during assassinations and freerun for three minutes" (100 Helix Credits).

Each option has a longer-lasting Premium variety, too - for a slightly higher price. The Premium Health Boost "significantly increases the damage you take for five minutes" (150 Helix Credits).

Ubisoft told Eurogamer that it considered Boosts to similarly be balanced - although there is no way to obtain them other than by spending Helix Credits.

Of course, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag also included micro-transactions of a kind. You could pay 79p each to show all collectibles and activities on the game's map, £2.39 to skip finding all treasure maps, and £1.59 for a set lump of in-game consumable resources.

But these were billed as "shortcuts" to skip completing certain activities in the game (synching viewpoints, hunting down treasure spots) and were not a full in-game currency.

You can also buy these type of packs in Assassin's Creed: Unity, too. There are four maps available, again used to reveal locations for various mission types and collectibles.

Each of these four are priced at 150 Helix Credits each - just over a quid's worth - although you'd need to spend at least £3.99 for the smallest pack containing 500.
Click to expand...

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-11-14-how-assassins-creed-unity-micro-transactions-work
 
Won't be buying any of this stuff, but luckily the game did show up today so I'm excited!
 
I've seen them once by clicking forward and nope, not for me. Doesn't bother me if they are there though. The company isn't a charity and if somebody thinks that it is worth it to buy them whatever, it's their money not mine. I enjoy unlocking by spending time, not everybody does.
 
One of the top three worst things to ever happen to videogames.
 
I want a microtransaction of a nickel every time the framerate drops below 30fps, but I don't want to bankrupt ubisoft before the weekend is over.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kassen
I just finished the main campaign. Didn't feel compelled to buy any of the currencies. But I swear if there was a way to purchase some currency to get items quicker in Destiny, I'd buy em in a heartbeat. The grind in Destiny is way too punishing. Unity wasn't built for microtransactions (no punishing psychological hooks) in the way Destiny seems to have been designed.
 
if you can play and complete the game (any game, come to that) without the use of any micro-transactions, then i don't see a problem with it at all. just another option for people to use.
 
Yeah, I've seen people saying the micro-transactions are being forced on them, but I haven't even seen where to buy them in the menus. I never had issue with m.t. since as of yet they haven't gated you in the game in anyway. I would prolly take issue with it once that happened, but as of now I don't care about it. Really for me the biggest issues in AC:U is the gameplay. Maybe I'm just sort of over AC now (I have played every major console release), but the game is just not doing it for me.
 
I have no issue with F2p games.

I only have issues when a full retailed title also wanted to have microtransaction. I do not mind paying for value contents, but I am certainly not paying for things already in the game.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Registered User 1
Ubisoft thinking they can get away with putting a F2P (are we still calling it this?) model in a full retail game is just one more slap in the face to gamers and a bad precedent to let go uncriticized.
 
Here's an idea Ubi, offer all your microtransactions and DLC free until you fix your broken game.

BF4 did the same crap, rushing out DLC before the main game was even fixed. Ridiculous.

whats that ol' old yank saying? "putting the cart before the horse"
 
I guess I just don't understand why it matters if games put microtransactions in full retail games. I'm never going to buy them. Is it just the principle of the thing or what?
 
Z A C K said:
I guess I just don't understand why it matters if games put microtransactions in full retail games. I'm never going to buy them. Is it just the principle of the thing or what?
Click to expand...
Righteous indignation. The gaming community has it in spades. If they focused this on things other then these toys we would achieve world peace.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frozpot and admartian
Z A C K said:
I guess I just don't understand why it matters if games put microtransactions in full retail games. I'm never going to buy them. Is it just the principle of the thing or what?
Click to expand...
Because if they are successful in applying f2p monetization in full retail games it will inevitably (arguably already has) lead to game mechanics tailored around them to maximize profits (i.e. make progression without paying lengthy, tedious, and ultimately unrealistic).
 
Obscene Jester said:
Because if they are successful in applying f2p monetization in full retail games it will inevitably (arguably already has) lead to game mechanics tailored around them to maximize profits (i.e. make progression without paying lengthy, tedious, and ultimately unrealistic).
Click to expand...
Do people actually pay for this stuff though? Seems like if they do this they'll fail and move on.
 
Z A C K said:
Do people actually pay for this stuff though? Seems like if they do this they'll fail and move on.
Click to expand...
I would guess enough, impatient types. Not for me but if people wanna do that, it's not my money. Plus I can unlock with time and enjoyment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back