Six months after the release of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, developer Monolith Productions decided to remove microtransactions from the game after receiving backlash from fans ever since the release of Shadow of War. Beginning on May 8th, players will no longer be able to purchase in-game gold. Furthermore, on July 17th, gold, war chests, and the marketplace will all be removed permanently from the game. 

In a forum post on the game’s website, Monolith said that:

“The core promise of the Nemesis System is the ability to build relationships with your personal allies and enemies in a dynamic open world,” reads the post. “While purchasing Orcs in the Market is more immediate and provides additional player options, we have come to realize that providing this choice risked undermining the heart of our game, the Nemesis System. It otherwise created, and it compromises those same stories even if you don’t buy anything. Simply being aware that they are available for purchase reduces the immersion in the world and takes away from the challenge of building your personal army and your fortresses.”

The controversy that surrounded Shadow of War began during its initial launch last September. Monolith promised at the time that microtransactions would not affect the player’s progression since the player could earn everything that can be found in war chests by scouring the game. However, some players felt that it was an unfair alternative to grinding for items. 

Players should note that while war chests will be removed in the game, loot chests will remain, and players will earn them by going through the game instead of just purchasing it. Also, players who still have real-world money in their game has until July 17 to spend it. 

What do you think of Monolith’s decision to dump microtransactions from Shadow of War? Share your thoughts in the comments below.