I don’t really play online multiplayer games anymore, what actually are “seasons” (and “battle passes” for that matter)? I’ve seen them mentioned in games like rocket league and overwatch which I’d paid for, but they cost more money and didn’t appear to be DLCs/expansions so I just ignored them.
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Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 8 months ago
Ugh…I can’t stand any game that has ‘seasons’. Still a hard pass.
bug@lemmy.one 8 months ago
ezures@lemmy.wtf 8 months ago
Battlepasses are usually an another progression system with time limited skins and rewards. Usually a season last a couple of months, then a new one starts with new progression and rewards. Sometimes there are events tied to a season.
In theory, it means the game always gets updates, but in actuality its ripping off players for like a handful of skins (theres a lot of filler in most of them), while getting them to play the game more because of fomo.
Also sometimes you can earn back the price back in in-game currency, so if you keep maxing them out its “free” after the first one.
bug@lemmy.one 8 months ago
So it’s all just a way to sell you cosmetics?
kafei@mtgzone.com 8 months ago
Battle passes yes. Often battle passes will have a free progression tier and a paid one. But seasons are often just made so people have an incentive to come back to the game. In the case of diablo3 and path of exile for example a new season will mark a new patch that changes game mechanics (buff certain builds, Nerf others or through new items enable builds that weren’t possible before). To play a season you have to start a new character so that gives you the incentive to try a new build which Poe has plenty of. Seasons will also introduce a mechanic only available in the season that make playing it feel unique and different. Season mechanics often require a lot of Dev work and are free to play but sometimes come with a season pass (that is optional )or the developer just hopes you buy some cosmetics while playing.
sim_@beehaw.org 8 months ago
The seasons are optional (and have been a thing since as far back as II). I don’t play the seasons myself but I’ll eventually play the single-player campaign on a deep sale someday.
Nobsi@feddit.de 8 months ago
Seasons were not a thing in 2. Seasons were introduced late in Diablo 3.
Celediel@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
Diablo II most definitely had seasons, starting when ladder was introduced with patch 1.10, in 2003.
Nobsi@feddit.de 8 months ago
Diablo 2 had ladders, which didnt add stuff every 3 months and by 2010 didnt even include changes at all.
So i guess youre kinda right but seasons are not comparable.
Templa@beehaw.org 8 months ago
I really enjoy Path of Exile seasons and recommend it. They always add new mechanics and change the game on some of them, so it never feels you’re just playing the same thing over and over again.
ocassionallyaduck@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Seasons and battle passes and an upfront cost.
You get to pay in so many different ways!