Phoenix Labs to Release Updates for Dauntless & Offer In-Game Compensation to Apologize

The free-to-play action RPG Dauntless' Steam debut was catastrophic thanks to its Awakening update, which wiped players' progress and removed hundreds of items while making the game hated with a monetization policy that some now call "predatory." 

Two weeks after players shared their genuine reviews of the game (it won't be fair to call it review bombing, as the changes were blatantly opposite to what players loved about it), the developers at Phoenix Labs have finally decided to reflect on the launch and share what they'll change in the next. 

Their latest announcement starts with a sincere apology to players who were frustrated due to the time they wasted. The developers will offer in-game currency "to better respect your lost progress and investment," so players can take them and totally forget about all their previous efforts. 

The letter went on to explain the future plans according to the community's feedback, divided into four parts: Progression Reset, Monetization Practices, Technical and Gameplay Issues, and Loss of Core Features - proofs of how the game had been "overhauled" and what the fans have called "an empty shell of Dauntless." Each part was illustrated from "What We Heard," "Where We Are At," and "Looking Ahead" perspectives. The "Where We Are At" part contains all the content to be released to the game with Update 2.1.1, which is scheduled to be coming very soon on December 19, while the "Looking Ahead" will be for the future, likely next year. 

The acknowledged issues and actions to take make such a long list, and it's a mix of good signs and probably not-so-good decisions. Of course, it's better than no words or reactions from the developers; at least it has some positive signs of improving things that players have been unhappy with. Yet, it might be too optimistic to believe the game would return to how it used to be, as the setting is still there — it's developed by a studio owned by a crypto company.