Breakdown
- The Wayfinder Discord and subreddit has entered civil war, following a change from an MMO to a co-op RPG
- Users who paid for expensive founder's packs have been left with earnable currency and skins
- Airship Syndicate is currently not offering refunds for founders, but some users have been successful with Steam support
Following yesterday's massive reveal, it's clear that the Wayfinder community has plunged into a civil war. As the official Discord server descends into chaos, it's evident that the major genre change hasn't been the huge hit that developer Airship Syndicate had hoped for.
The upcoming Wayfinder Echoes update unveiled yesterday. Following major issues, alongside the closure of the Digital Extremes publishing arm, Airship Syndicate is converting the early access game from a free-to-play MMO-lite to a paid co-op RPG, and some fans are rightfully angry.
Part of the change involves removing live-service elements, microtransactions like Runesilver, and the always-online requirements. While each of these changes is positive on its own, many players who purchased expensive founder's packs between August 2023 and April 2024 are left with concerns.
For instance, the exclusive items that Wayfinder founders received might become moddable once the game relaunches in June, rendering them fairly useless. Even worse, those who desired an MMO-lite experience will no longer receive it, and despite the game being in early access, Steam has been denying refunds to some players.
A glance at the official Wayfinder Discord reveals a flurry of messages in every channel. One of the 'Ask the Community' posts, aptly titled 'Steam Refunds,' has been active since the announcement, but the conversation consistently spills over into the general chat.
It's the same story on the official subreddit as well. Opening the announcement on the r/PlayWayfinder Reddit community showcases the top comment, sarcastically stating, "So glad my $150 purchase is getting me a $25 game and some currency I could have earned anyway," from u/Savings_Helicopter_7.
Other supporters are less perturbed. "This is everything I wanted and more," u/WombatInSunglasses posts on the announcement, "No online requirement, no microtransactions, and a better and more fleshed out game."
As someone who purchased the Exalted Founder's Pack, I firmly stand with those seeking a refund. I would gladly purchase the game again for $24.99 when it launches, but the fact that founders were promised a certain game, only to have it drastically change, is completely unfair.
However, the issue and concerns are entangled in a very unique situation, especially as ex-publisher Digital Extremes likely received most of the revenue at launch.
Some users have been fortunate enough to obtain a refund from Steam, but others on PlayStation haven't been as lucky. Airship Syndicate assured that Wayfinder wouldn't perish when they ceased sales, but for some, the promised MMO-lite experience is now defunct.