Doubloon Currency - Developer Update

The take-home message to me is that players are being punished for engaging with the system and content created by the developers, and that Rare has zero regard for the dedication and time we've put into the game.

Any doubloons I earned from one-off commendation unlocks, Insider reward tracks, season passes... all down the drain, with nothing to show for it (and veteran players miss out on some of these methods of earning doubloons going forward since we've already done them). Additionally, before the reset was announced, I sometimes purchased items with doubloons as Rare intended, but all the items I bought will now be available for gold. That means all the doubloons I spent recently ended up being a total waste. Worse than a waste, really, because it locks me out of getting some of the "reward" items. And for what I do have left... While I understand that the limited-time doubloon shop is intended to be rewarding, it certainly doesn't feel it. The only "choice" I have is to spend currency I invested significant time in earning on a very limited selection of items that I might not even want. Otherwise, it's converted to gold.

If I convert my remaining doubloons to gold, who's to say that gold and the rest of my stockpile won't be wiped out when Rare want to force engagement again and prevent players from using another currency they already earned in the way that they choose? Rare have said that the gold economy is broken too, after all. Heck, maybe Rare will decide reputation levels are too inflated and need a rework, so we'll be reverted to a lower level. Maybe it was too easy to sell Chests of Fortune and earn the cosmetics that doing so unlocks, so my commendation for it needs to be dropped back to grade 1. Any of these possibilities are on the table once Rare starts deleting player progression, and I would no longer trust any response from Rare saying otherwise after they take this first step.

While I wish I could give a suggestion for how to improve the reward shop or transition, I don't think there is one. Nothing that involves disregarding my time and progress or taking away my choice will ever feel like a reward.

Player trust in Rare has been eroding over time, but this is the breaking point for me and many of the pirates I sail with. It sets a very bad precedent: Why would we engage with any future progression if Rare can decide that, due to no fault of our own, legitimate progress we earned should be reset? I should want to play the Weekender event because it's fun and engaging, not because Rare deleted my progression and are trying to force me to spend time making up for that. It is not the players' fault that the doubloon economy is in its current state and yet the players are the ones being punished for it.

And, all of this is to prevent a small minority of players from being able to purchase items upon release, rather than trudging through and grinding the new FOMO-driven event that dictates how and when everyone is supposed to play. Is that really worth binning what was left of player trust in Rare and creating such a massive sense of unease about whether it's worth it to progress in the game? I certainly don't think so, and I truly don't see why a few players being able to purchase new doubloon content on release (like so many players already do with gold...) justifies wiping everyone's wallets.

Rare showing that they're willing to delete legitimate progress (and disregard all of the real-life time spent on that progress) is a box that can't be closed again once opened, and will leave many players wondering what Rare will erase from us next. Pirate Profiles were panned because many players didn't want to have their progress reset or lose what they worked for, but at least those are a choice. This isn't, and creates exhausting levels of FOMO.

FOMO doesn't have to be bad. If content is engaging and fun, players naturally wanting to participate at its height is a good thing. Leaning into and artificially driving FOMO, however, is never good. Limiting events to a specific time locks out a portion of the playerbase and causes rushed grinding that will lead to player fatigue. I am not willing to dedicate my limited free time to making the same progress I already made over again.

I know I'm getting a bit worked up over a game and a virtual world, but I've met real-world friends, made real-world memories, and had real-world laughs because of it. I unfortunately expect this comment to have no impact, as it took years for Rare to indicate they'd stop dismissing our feedback about the new season format and the time-limited second act, only to turn around and add more time-limited events anyway. But, it's disappointing and a little frustrating that the world I've invested time and heart into is no longer a place for players like me, and I'd be remiss if I didn't at least take the opportunity to express it. There's no more "tools, not rules". If I don't play when and how Rare wants me to, I miss out.

@Sonicbob while I understand the intent, this destroys what little player trust was left for Rare. I and many others are no longer willing to give our limited free time to a developer that so blatantly throws it away.

Maybe I had 50K over the lifetime of playing for 8 years or whatever we're at now, but not anymore. I've been spending doubloons as designed, using them for gold, buying some items in the outpost store, the odd letter of recommendation, and keeping a float in case something happened with them.

The lesson you are imparting here is that it's better to hoard rather than spend unless absolutely necessary. With this and the announced changes to the weekender and doubloon cap which doesn't really cap anything, I'm beginning to wonder what the reset is even accomplishing?

The pricing on the Cutlass is wild considering Rare stated they know how big our Doubloon wallets are. What percentage of the active playerbase even has 50K doubloons? I've seen active streamers that have been playing SoT for years that don't even have 10K.

Those that converted Doubloons to Gold or spent them on missed Seasonal item(s) over the year(s) are fuming today knowing they could have put off purchasing these items after the fact but didn't know at the time.

I can see this pricing scheme encouraging players to try and exploit the game or even go out of their way to pay a farmer/booster to try and get them enough Doubloons before the April 16th cutoff. I anticipate the posts and listings from the boosters to show up in the next few days. I'd imagine some whales willing to pay a pretty penny to get them enough Doubloons. There will still be players willing to help each other out at no charge. Be wary of the AI banhammer on text/terms using in official Xbox LFG posts as I can see people getting themselves banned attempting to find others to help boost/farm/cheese Doubloons.

I'm already seeing players planning on trying to grind this out for the next 40+ days and I don't see them getting there considering their IRL schedule.

This Cutlass is probably going to be the next GO-TO showoff item to spite the playerbase in PVP.

Sure, nobody needs every item or the cutlass but that may not be a worthwhile statement for those in the position of missing out. Considering all the backtracking on previous statements from Rare regarding FOMO items that have since returned or are going to be returning via Bilge Rat Weekender Events I will not be surprised to see this set show up again in the future.

I don't envy Rare employees right now. This is going to sting for years to come and players will not stop bringing this up. Good luck.

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EDIT: This is coming from someone with 90K+ Doubloons that never missed an Event or Season. I thankfully stopped converting Doubloons to Gold years ago thinking something would be done with Doubloons one day.

I was anticipating maybe a 10K-20K overall price when these commemorative items were first announced. Boy was I wrong.

50 000 deserved a COMPLETE outfit, ship and weapon set. That was the least you can do. But hey! a cutlass...

@realstyli said in Doubloon Currency - Developer Update:

@zylewr said in Doubloon Currency - Developer Update:

I think it's the final straw for me... And the fact it took you more than a month to announce it and letting people infront of a giant wall of FOMO is literally pure disrespect of your community.
Have fun y'all, i'm out !

This sentiment is understandable and I don't think many will actively express it, instead they'll just quit the game silently.

For me, I just find it very sad to see things playing out as they are. Sea of Thieves has been a big part of my life for 8 years. It's my most-played game ever. But I'm looking at it now without any real love, just habitual attachment and pity.

Maybe there are brighter days ahead, but decisions like this and all the FOMO baffle me, and make me doubt that to be the case. It really seems out of touch.

I didn't expect (and even if they correct it, I still don't expect) to be able to afford the cutlass. But 50K seems outrageous and, like I was saying before, only rewards those who didn't even engage in the doubloon economy as-intended. I don't know, Rare just seems very determined to shatter any goodwill they have left with the community, it seems.

Announcements like this that come out on the heels of another "we missed the mark" video really make it hard to believe they have learned anything. Either they aren't trying to change, they misunderstand why players get upset when their time isn't valued (and this extends to a lot of things non-doubloon related that they'd implemented recently), or they are incredibly inflexible and unable to pivot when required.

A lot of people here upset over a cosmetic. Not every single cosmetic item will be available to all people. It isn’t unfair, it’s just how it is. And no, the people who spent them without realizing this sword skin would be available weren’t “spending them the right way”. There is no inherent right or wrong way to play, or spend your blue coins, unless it goes against TOS.

Hello, I'm a doubloon Enjoyer.
Someone who got almost all the cosmetics in the game.
I got every item that I can buy with gold and currently completing the whole game.

Now here's the problem. I have been using the doubloons as intended. Spending them. I am now left with maybe 15 items to buy with doubloons.
Since the announcement, I have stopped spending them, and I have been actively farming doubloons in legit ways.
I'm now at 4.5K Doubloons.

My lifetime net worth of Doubloons however, is 219,550.

Now, someone like me, a day one player, who had a stupid amount of Doubloons, won't realistically be able to reach 50K within the time limit.

I believe the problem is very clear.

• The goal is to recognise veteran players who have a large amount of Doubloons.
• The proposed solution fails to recognise said players if they have spent the doubloons.

Proposed solution:

• Consider unlocking the cutlass based on lifetime earned doubloons. If the current threshold for the sword is 50K in the account, make it 100K lifetime.
• Consider rebalancing the requirements so that your most dedicated players can still earn these with some grinding.

Personally, I would rather have you run the grant query looking at a lifetime data for the profile more than what we have now.

I completely understand the decision, but 50K is a bit much and, again, it feels like this goes against your playerbase who has been using this currency as intended.

By the way, the title for 50 is a bit silly. Make it 2000 and the sails 3500 or something.

@brody-howell said in Doubloon Currency - Developer Update:

@sonicbob

I've been playing for years and barely ever spend my doubloons and I'm at 22,000. I can't remember the last time I spent any, honestly.

I'm sure you have access to the metrics, and you know just how many players have over 50,000 in their bank. I understand wanting to reward players who were hoarding, but this feels beyond absurd. Surely a middle ground can be reached.

I feel much the same way. I was hoping I could maybe have a goal to grind a few more Doubloons for, but 50k just isn’t achievable for me. I’ve played for years and don’t even have half that amount. There’s a huge jump from the sails to the sword.

I assume there are plenty of players out there that have over 50,000 or they wouldn’t have set it this high. Out of curiosity can anyone out there afford this?