The review embargo for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has broken, and so far, things sound pretty stellar. There is one thing, though. For the online multiplayer, players are able to attack the bases of other players, but to do this, it seems they have to use real money to buy MB coins. The coins in turn let players buy space for a PVP dedicated base. Of course, if that’s not your thing, you can also just complete missions to earn money that way, as Senior Producer at Konami Ken-ichiro Imaizumi answered:
You can make money by completing missions on single campaign mode. There are other ways to make money as well. https://t.co/PAUP9mzOu4
— 今泉健一郎/KEN IMAIZUMI (@Ken1555) August 10, 2015
Gamespot discovered this while reviewing The Phantom Pain, but since they had no online functionality (the game was reviewed by the press in an isolated zone with heavy embargo to avoid spoilers getting out), they weren’t able to find out how MB coins cost, or even test the FOB mode. Gamespot contacted Konami, but the PR team responded with:
“…unfortunately we don’t have any official details to share at the moment regarding the microtransaction model for F.O.B.. I should have more information for you next week though as those details are still be solidified.”
Currently, it doesn’t look like any other review published talks about this, or even touches upon it at all. They just say the multiplayer’s great, but they don’t get into the microtransactions bit.
Later, Konami released a statement saying the “FOB mode will be fully accessible at launch and the micro-transaction layer to that specific feature in the game primarily acts as an accelerator.”
The Phantom Pain sneaks its way onto stores (and into your wallet) on September 1. How’s this make you feel? Let us know in the comments below.