Over 300,000 gamers on Steam is a large success – however Mecha Break is already going through a steep crash.
Mecha Break; has rapidly catapulted itself to the highest of the Steam charts – at the least by way of participant numbers. The brand new multiplayer mecha shooter from Superb Seasun Video games attracted over 317,000 simultaneous gamers in its open beta inside just some hours.
Which means that the sport outperforms even heavyweights like GTA 5 and ranks simply behind long-running favorites like Counter Strike 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds and Dota 2. However whereas the participant numbers are spectacular, the Steam opinions look bleak: Solely 33 % of the opinions are presently constructive.
Mech battles with frustration elements
Mecha Break was revealed on the finish of 2023 on the Sport Awards and brought on a stir with its fashionable mech design and explosive results gameplay. The open beta, which began on February 23, ought to now additional gasoline the hype – however as an alternative, it’s met with criticism.
The primary main level of frustration for a lot of gamers is the tutorial, which proves to be surprisingly prolonged and unhelpful on the similar time. Some report spending almost an hour on the introductory part and two pressured AI matches earlier than they might even enter the precise sport.
One other hotly debated matter is the usage of a kernel-level anti-cheat, which intervenes deeply within the system and have to be eliminated manually after uninstalling the sport.
One of these anti-cheat software program has a nasty popularity within the gaming neighborhood, as it’s usually thought of a safety threat or evenChinese spyware and adware Some gamers additionally report blue screens which may be associated to the anti-cheat resolution.
Monetization is inflicting fear strains
Though Mecha Break, with its mixture of Titanfall, Armored Core and Gundam, has struck a chord by way of gameplay, many gamers are additionally involved concerning the monetization. Whereas the primary beta was nonetheless perceived as honest, some gamers are actually accusing the developer of building a possible Pay2Win mannequin with battle passes and in-game currencies.
A very vital level is unlocking new mechs, which, in accordance with some gamers, is unnecessarily grind-heavy. Sure items price extraordinarily excessive quantities of in-game foreign money, so Free2Play gamers might must play for weeks whereas Battle Go patrons get direct entry.
One consumer writes:
I actually need to like this sport, but when it continues to develop on this approach, it will likely be onerous to maintain up.
Comparisons with Gundam Evolution – a failed mecha shooter that rapidly misplaced gamers attributable to its monetization technique – are already being drawn.
In fact, not all voices are damaging: many reward the precise gameplay, which feels quick, dynamic and highly effective. Some even examine Mecha Break to a Dragon Ball Z in mech type, whereas others enthusiastically rejoice the combination of various mecha video games.
The large query now’s: Can Superb Seasun Video games mitigate the criticisms earlier than the official launch in spring 2025? Or will Mecha Break observe the unhappy destiny of many different formidable multiplayer video games that failed attributable to monetization and design selections?
After Marvel Rivals just lately impressed with its honest monetization and may nonetheless look again on robust consumer numbers virtually three months later, many gamers are more likely to have even much less need for Pay2Win and extreme grind.
