Hello Moonbreakers,
Our first content patch "Zax's Story" (EA1.1) is releasing tomorrow, October 27. It will feature a ton of community driven changes to gameplay, but most importantly we have completely overhauled the business model to remove Pulsars, Boosters, and Blanks.
A major part of the Early Access process is taking community feedback on board and making some big and exciting changes. We’ve been reading and evaluating everything you’ve suggested on our Discord and Nolt board – which already helped to guide our decision to remove Cargo Run Contracts from Moonbreaker – and have been diligently reviewing every area of the game. Based on your ongoing feedback, we are re-aligning to make Moonbreaker better reflect our Early Access goals.
Here are some of the major business model changes coming alongside tomorrow's content update:
- Pulsars (our hard currency) will no longer be available to purchase or exchange for in-game items during Early Access.
- Units will be unlocked automatically with the base game. Yes, that means no more Booster Boxes. This also means that all Units added with each new Season will be unlocked automatically, too.
- Blanks and Merits are no longer an in-game currency and will be replaced with Sparks. Sparks can be used to upgrade a Unit’s Rarity. As a reminder, Rarity is cosmetic only.
- The in-game store is being disabled. All Pulsar purchases will be automatically refunded via Steam (details below).
- Founder’s Pack Pulsars will be replaced with a new Zax and Slopper Skin. Players who already own the Founder’s Pack will automatically receive the Skin. The Founder’s Pack can be refunded upon request if you are not happy with the changes (details below).
- Season Track progression will now be faster, and include some new, exciting cosmetic rewards.
We understand that you might have a lot of questions, so we're going to do our best to answer as many of these as possible.
Why are you removing monetization?
It is important to us, especially during Early Access, to build an amazing game alongside our community and focus on making Moonbreaker as fun as possible.
Early Access is a time for us to experiment and improve the game, and the monetization in its current form was affecting that goal. So we're removing it to focus on making the best game that we can, before we leave Early Access.
Will I get anything for the Blanks I've already collected?
Your Blanks will automatically be converted into Sparks (previously Merits.) Sparks can be used to upgrade your Units to higher cosmetic levels (e.g. Rare, Legendary, and so on.) We have plans to continue to expand on the Sparks and Rarity systems with future updates, but Rarity is expected to remain completely cosmetic in nature.
What will happen to my unopened Boosters when the change happens?
Unopened Boosters will also be converted into Sparks. All Units during Early Access will be automatically unlocked with Common Rarity. You can then use Sparks to optionally upgrade to higher Rarity. Again, Rarity affects only cosmetic aspects of Units.
Will my current Season Track progress be affected by the changes?
Yes. Boosters and Blanks that were previously rewarded on the Season Track are being replaced with a combination of Sparks, additional Decal packs, and new Profile images.
Unrelated to this change, we also have adjusted the XP levels for the Season Track, as we felt it was currently too much of a grind. Your amount of XP will remain the same, so expect your Season Track level to increase when you log in for the first time after the update.
Hopefully this change will help players achieve the rewards that they'd like much quicker!
Will I get the new rewards for tiers I've already earned?
Yes. Rewards for any tiers you've already earned, and that are affected by this change, will be awarded automatically when you log in to the game. For example: We have added a new award for Level 16 of the Season Track. If you are currently at a level higher than 16, the new Level 16 award will be automatically awarded the next time you log in.
What happens to any Pulsars I already bought?
All Pulsar purchases made since Early Access began will be refunded. You will automatically receive an email from Steam confirming your refund to your Steam wallet. No action is required on your part.
How do I obtain my refund?
You don't need to do anything. Refunds will be automatic for the amount spent.
When is the refund happening?
The refund will take place within a few hours of the patch launch. It could take up to a day, so we appreciate your patience while we ensure these refunds go out to all players affected. As mentioned, look out for an email from Steam confirming your refund.
What about the Founder's Pack I already have/bought?
The Founder's Pack that you've purchased will remain in your Steam inventory. We will be replacing the Pulsars that came with the Founder's Pack with an exclusive Zax and Slopper Skin.
Previously, this pack was non-refundable. Because of this change, we are temporarily offering refunds for the Founder’s Pack. If you would like a refund, you will be able to do so until December 6, 2022. After that time, the pack will return to being non-refundable.
To request a refund, please contact Steam.
What content do I get when I buy the base game for $30 USD?
The content in the base game is the same as before, and you will continue to receive new content patches – including new Seasons, Captains, Maps, Units and more – for free throughout Early Access. All Units are now unlocked by default during Early Access at the Common level Rarity.
Why should I buy Moonbreaker now instead of waiting for the final product?
Buying Moonbreaker during the Early Access period allows you to directly shape the future of the game. It helps us make the game you want to play. You will also get access to tons of new content, such as Units, maps, Captains, and much more.
But, as a game actively in development, it will have some issues and bugs, with features, balance, and gameplay in a constant state of change.
If you’re waiting for something more polished, we suggest you join our mailing list to be among the first to hear about when Moonbreaker will exit Early Access.
We really believe that Moonbreaker is something truly special, and that it will only improve in quality with community input. Your passion and love for the game has already inspired several major changes, and we're only one month into Early Access.
We want to continue to build this game alongside the community, and make Moonbreaker something that will endure for many more years to come.
Once again, we cannot thank you enough for all of the feedback you have already provided for Moonbreaker. We want to keep making impactful changes and hope that these are just the first of many that will take Moonbreaker to new, incredible highs.
Look out for more information on the gameplay changes in our patch notes tomorrow. We’ve made some balance changes to Astra, as well as adjusted a handful of ship assist, removed some of the randomness in the game, and much more, all based on your feedback.
We can't wait for you to get your hands on the content patch tomorrow!
See you in the Reaches,
Moonbreaker Team.