Recently, War Thunder, an online vehicle shooter game, implemented economic reforms that upset its player base. The game has become increasingly pay-to-win over the years, and the recent changes make it harder to progress without spending real money. Players were fed up with this abuse and left negative feedback on Steam, posting thousands of messages protesting the changes and attacking the developers.
At the time of publication, the game’s Steam Reviews section was full of negative reviews, with the most popular one summing up the situation nicely: “I didn’t want to leave a negative review, but Gaijin’s blatant disdain for players forced me to do it.”
The developers halted the latest punitive economic reforms in response to the backlash, but it does little to reverse a slow trend that has already alienated many longtime players. The developers posted an apology statement, but it may be too little, too late as the player base is fed up with the game’s underlying design.
Players are planning a boycott on May 26th, while other plans include a ‘Seal Club Day,’ although trying to “kick new players out” on May 25th may not be a great idea or look.