Techland is Not Planning to Add Microtransactions to the New Dying Light Game

Demonstrating that Techland has no intention of making the same mistake twice, Dying Light Franchise Director Tymon Smektała has announced that the studio has no plans to implement any virtual currency or microtransactions in the upcoming Dying Light: The Beast.

For context, one of the reasons Dying Light 2 isn't remembered as fondly as the original is, without a doubt, the addition of DL Points in September 2023 – more than a year and a half after launch. A form of microtransactions, DL Points could be bought with real money and used in the in-game store, with item and bundle pricing deliberately structured to ensure players always overpaid and had leftover currency – a marketing tactic widely disliked by regular gamers. As a result, the game's Steam rating took a hit 

Apparently, one Twitter user feared something similar might happen with The Beast and pleaded with Techland not to include any predatory monetization practices in the new DL game. Fortunately for the fanbase, Tymon Smektała responded directly, stating that microtransactions and virtual currency are "not planned."

While some fans and a number of gaming websites were quick to celebrate the news, it's important to point out that "not planned" doesn't mean "never going to happen." You see, back in 2023, many assumed the addition of DL Points in September was tied to Tencent purchasing a 67% stake in Techland just a few months prior, in July, effectively making the Chinese tech giant the studio's owner, even though Techland claimed to retain its creative freedoms.

If that assumption holds true – and considering that how a game is monetized doesn't really qualify as a "creative freedom" – it's still not impossible, though highly unlikely, that Smektała went with the "technically correct – best kind of correct" phrasing, and Dying Light: The Beast will end up featuring some sort of in-game shop – whether at launch or sometime later – it could simply be that Tencent is the one planning its inclusion, not Techland. The only way to know for sure is to wait until the game launches on September 19, its new release date following last week's delay.

And what do you think about the announcement? Is it really a confirmation that the game won't include microtransactions, or just carefully chosen wording to generate some hype and avoid backlash before The Beast's release? Let us know in the comments!