The role-playing game set in the world of Game of Thrones: Kingsroad has garnered significant attention since its debut at last year’s Game Awards. However, over time, the game has faced considerable criticism, primarily due to its heavy reliance on in-game transactions.
Released as an early access title on Steam at a relatively modest price, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad initially received a number of positive reviews, particularly for its faithful recreation of the iconic locations within Westeros. However, just a few days after launch, the game’s ratings dropped significantly due to player backlash against its monetization system.
As of now, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad has a total of 450 reviews, with 146 being negative.
Most of the feedback revolves around the game’s economic system – while it operates as a free-to-play model, the reality is more complex. Despite the game being in early access, developers have implemented various tactics that can feel quite exploitative to players.
One of the most controversial aspects is the cost of upgrading characters. Players have expressed frustration that high-tier items cannot be transferred to new characters, leading to significant inconvenience. Additionally, the game features a system that allows for quick progression, but if players choose not to spend money, they may find themselves waiting an extended period to advance. Some reviews have even labeled Kingsroad as a “pay-to-win” model, where players can spend money to enhance their characters’ strength. Notably, these paywalls only appear after approximately 10 hours of gameplay, which may explain why initial reviews were more favorable.
As Kingsroad is still in early access, developer Netmarble has time to make adjustments before the official launch. However, with the final version expected to be mobile-only and no information available about a console version, the potential for significant changes to the economic system seems quite low. If Netmarble does not implement different monetization strategies soon, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad may become an example of a promising game that ultimately disappoints players due to its excessively aggressive monetization approach.
