It’s not often that you don’t know how much a videogame will cost mere days before launch. Typically we’re drowning in $70 triple-A releases with multiple editions, virtual currency, and season passes before the game is even out. Upcoming extraction RPG Dungeonborne is bucking that trend, as this Dark and Darker rival is set for Steam Early Access any minute now, without a price tag. It’s a risky move, but one that developer Mithril Interactive hopes will lead to a smooth release – so let’s see if it pays off.
A first-person co-op extraction game in the vein of Dark and Darker, Dungeonborne has already seen a lot of success. It was the biggest demo at Steam Next Fest earlier this year and raked in well over 10,000 concurrent players during the last playtest. You’re tasked with exploring decrepit castles and dying crypts, and need to avoid traps and fight medieval fantasy creatures while searching for loot before getting out alive. It’s a formula that’s become incredibly popular over the last few years. Yet Mithril’s choice to leave Dungeonborne without a price tag is nowhere near as common.
Mithril Interactive says part of the reason for the lack of price so close to the Dungeonborne launch is due to regional differences. “By not declaring a single price in advance, we avoid misunderstandings and prevent players from assuming the game will be unaffordable in their region,” the team says. Mithril wants to avoid alienating players from across the globe with a US-centric price tag that could gouge those in other regions, instead opting to set each price tag for the RPG manually.
Dungeonborne won’t have a triple-A price tag either, and Mithril promises a launch discount lasting for two weeks on Steam as well. “We’re not here to milk our customers with five editions of the game and a spreadsheet to explain the differences, or make you feel like you’re missing out if you don’t buy the ‘deluxe ultimate collector’s edition.’ We’re giving you the full Dungeonborne experience right from the start, because we value your support and want to make sure you get the best possible value for your money.
“You’ll be able to purchase Dungeonborne directly through Steam using standard methods,” Mithril Interactive adds. “We will not be exploiting loopholes by asking you to buy ‘shards’ to purchase the game, making it non-refundable. We respect your right to refund the game if it doesn’t meet your expectations.”
Mithril’s decision to not release an extraction RPG in segments comes in direct competition with Dark and Darker’s recent Steam relaunch. After returning to Valve’s platform as a free-to-sample game with a $30 price tag for the rest of the content, developer Ironmace issued an apology to its community, saying it “failed” to meet player expectations.
Dark and Darker’s standard dungeons were free, but the ‘High Roller’ content and equipment were locked behind the paywall. Players felt misled, with Ironmace issuing a lengthy apology as a result.
Dungeonborne doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes of Dark and Darker, but only time will tell if going into a launch without a concrete price point will pay off. We interviewed Mythril Interactive ahead of launch too, if you want to learn even more about the game.
While you wait for Dungeonborne the best survival games will keep you on your toes, and our picks for some incredible multiplayer games will let you play with, or against, your friends.
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