'Middle-Earth: Shadow of War' Update: On the Market and the Use of Real Money
Developed by Monolith Productions, "Middle-Earth: Shadow of War" has received a lot of buzz since it was first announced. As a sequel to the 2014 hit game titled "Shadow of Mordor," there is a lot about the "Shadow of War" that fans expect. Recently, the developers have laid out the plans for the upcoming game title's market, which thrilled some fans and frustrated others.
"An important aspect of the Nemesis System now comes in forging, customizing and leading your own army of unique Orc followers against the fortresses of Mordor. There are different ways to do this, including dominating Orcs by exploring the vast open-world and encountering them as part of Orc society, or players can acquire Orcs and other items through the Market (in-game store)," the developers posted.
Further reports reveal that the gear to customize the army of Orcs will be available through loot boxes and microtransactions in "Middle-Earth: Shadow of War." Players can buy the loot boxes that contain the gear through two types of currency: Mirian and Gold. The former can be acquired through defeating Treasure Orcs, destroying Gear for Mirian, destroying Orc for Gear, and finding the currency in multiple parts of the game's map. On the other hand, the latter can be acquired through real money by buying it from the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, or adding to the Steam Wallet.
Many fans were disappointed with the fact that loot boxes could be bought with real money as they feel that Monoloth Productions may be taking loot boxes a step too far. The cosmetics already have a price tag, and given the fact that Gold will also have its own price, some fans feel that they may not get a full experience of the game without paying real money. Regardless, some remain hopeful that there will be something about "Middle-Earth: Shadow of War" to redeem it.
"Middle-Earth: Shadow of War" is set to be released on Oct. 10 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
