The announcement regarding Gearbox's initial expansion for the popular game "Risk of Rain 2" has garnered considerable criticism from the gaming community on Steam. Players have expressed their dissatisfaction with various aspects of the expansion, prompting developers to address these concerns publicly. This backlash illuminates the intricate relationship between game developers and their audience, particularly in an industry where consumer expectations are continually evolving.
One primary source of contention stems from the perceived misalignment between player expectations and the content delivered in the expansion. Many fans anticipated a comprehensive enhancement that would build upon the game's established mechanics and lore. Instead, they found that some features felt underdeveloped or uninspired. This disconnect raises important questions about how developers gauge player desires and translate them into engaging content. The criticism reflects a broader trend within gaming culture, where players increasingly demand transparency and responsiveness from game studios.
The second Risk of Rain 2 DLC, Seekers of the Storm, is the first major update to come to the legendary roguelike since Borderlands studio Gearbox acquired the IP in November 2022. Everything looked promising: fresh stages, new and returning characters, more items, and a development team that seemed optimistic about the series' comeback after Gearbox canceled a mobile game spinoff which it spun up right after acquiring the series.
That comeback has swiftly turned into a comedown: with just 34% positive reviews on Steam two days after release, Seekers of the Storm is the worst-rated Risk of Rain anything by a big margin. Canceled mobile game aside, the series has had a sterling run up to this point, earning multiple slots on our list of the best roguelikes.
Gearbox addressed this issue in an update posted yesterday, saying it's changing the price of Seekers of the Storm "in select markets" to bring it more in line with the prior expansion. People who have already paid improperly inflated prices for the expansion are advised to refund it through Steam and then re-purchase it once it's available at a lower price.
Recently, Valve allowed players to start openly discussing its latest creation, Deadlock. This is a 6v6 MOBA game but instead of an isometric view, it’s third-person. There is currently a playtest going that can be tough to access given you need to be invited by someone who already has access to the game. Despite this, it’s currently got over 100,000 people playing at the time of writing.
It’s not clear what the Hopoo Games developers will be working on. But with Deadlock the new hotness, they might be lending their talent there. Keep it locked to our Hopoo Games and Valve topic pages for the latest on what these teams are up to.
Read more
Annie Murphy Shines in a New Dark Comedy Now on Netflix, Breaking Free from 'Schitt’s Creek' Typecasting Alvin Kamara puts his home on the market for $2.75M amid contract uncertaintiesSarah H
Also on site :
- Meta tried to buy Ilya Sutskever's $32 billion AI startup, but is now planning to hire its CEO
- Switch 2 third-party sales reportedly mostly "very low" despite record-breaking console launch
- Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is, unexpectedly, getting an open-world roguelike mode