MMO Delisted While Devs Make It Single Player and Remove Monetization

Highlights

• Airship Syndicate suspends Wayfinder sales for a major update, removing microtransactions and shifting to single-player experience.
• Developer aims to enhance the player experience after rocky start, believing in game’s potential and investing in core improvements.
• The Echoes update introduces major changes like offline gameplay, randomized drops, and collectible items, relaunching on Steam in June 2024.

Developer Airship Syndicate has temporarily suspended Wayfinder new sales while the game transitions into a single-player adventure and removes all microtransactions in the upcoming Echoes update. This MMO initially faced a rocky launch but is now on a transformative journey as developers announce major changes aimed at enhancing the player experience and addressing past shortcomings.

Wayfinder is an MMO released in early access in August 2023, set in the fantastical world of Evenor, where players take on the roles of characters with unique abilities and playstyles. The game focuses on defending the world against a malevolent force known as the Gloom, which threatens to destroy everything. Wayfinder‘s players can pick different character classes, customize their adventures, explore dungeons, hunt beasts, battle enemies with friends, and gather materials for crafting weapons and housing. Although the game’s initial promise was enticing, players have encountered significant issues and shortcomings, leading to a negative reception, with the game currently holding a “mostly negative” rating on Steam.

As reported by Airship Syndicate on the Wayfinder Steam page, new sales of the game have been temporarily halted. However, existing players will continue to enjoy uninterrupted gameplay. Despite Wayfinder‘s rocky start, the developer expressed a deep belief in the game’s potential and the world its team has crafted. Airship has assured that it has invested considerable time refining core aspects of Wayfinder behind the scenes, aligning them with the developer’s vision for great games while also ensuring a sustainable business model.

While Airship hasn’t revealed all the changes yet, they assure players that the game’s essence will remain intact while introducing major improvements. Airship mentioned its commitment to enhancing Wayfinder along with its characters and features.

Changes in the Upcoming Wayfinder Echoes Update

One major shift Wayfinder will undergo in the Echoes update is the removal of all online requirements, transitioning it from an MMO co-op game into a single-player experience with optional 3-player co-op, allowing players more flexibility in how they enjoy the game. This change also means that progress will be saved locally rather than on a server. Additionally, the game is moving away from microtransactions, with a one-time purchase price of $24.99 USD during Early Access, offering players full access to content without in-game purchases.

Moreover, the Echoes Update introduces major gameplay changes, including randomized weapon drops, collectible armor with stats, cosmetics, and housing items. The game’s relaunch on Steam in Early Access is set for June 11th, 2024, with plans for a PlayStation 5 release later and Xbox Series X/S during Early Access, alongside ongoing updates and refinements based on player feedback. The reception of this new chapter in the Wayfinder journey remains to be seen.