Rocket League’s Blueprint Update Fails to Impress Players
Yesterday, Rocket League released its Blueprint Update which drastically changed the game’s item system, but unfortunately, not in a positive way. Instead of offering better options for players, the update introduced exorbitantly high prices in the Item Shop.
Many Rocket League players were taken aback by the skyrocketing prices. Outraged users flooded Reddit, expressing their dissatisfaction and using strong words like “ridiculous” and “disgusting.” One Redditor even went so far as to call it robbery.
Rocket League’s previous crate system allowed players to receive a crate after every match. These crates could be opened with a key purchased with real money. Keys became the game’s currency, creating a thriving player-to-player economy. Players could buy items with keys or trade crates with others. The system worked well for the most part.
The introduction of Blueprints in the recent update disrupted this economy. Blueprints are one-time use schematics for specific items. To obtain the item, players must spend Credits, similar to the old loot box system. The idea behind Blueprints was to reduce randomness, as each Blueprint showed the item it would create and its set price. However, the problem lies in the high cost of these items.
The old crate system also had pricing, where players would use a key to open a crate and potentially receive an item. Leftover items could be traded. Lower rarity items like decals had very little value and were often traded in bulk. Supply and demand played a role, with rarer items commanding higher prices. For example, the highly sought-after Black Market decals were much more expensive than their common counterparts. However, even top-tier items like the Exotic-rarity Zomba wheels could be obtained for a reasonable price.
With the introduction of Blueprints, the same principles apply, but with significantly higher prices. Rare decals now cost 100 Credits, considerably more than before. Very rare decals have seen a price increase to 500 Credits. For example, the Zomba wheels, which were once cheap due to their large supply, now cost a whopping 1,400 Credits to craft.
The flaws in the update don’t end there. The Infinium wheels, which were previously affordable, now cost 14 keys to craft. This is enough to purchase an entire painted set of the same wheels before the update. Additionally, the conversion from keys to credits was poorly executed, causing further frustration among players. The value of 100 credits is significantly lower than that of one key, leaving players feeling cheated.
One Reddit user perfectly summed up the community’s disappointment with the update, questioning why Psyonix failed to recognize the value of a player-driven economy. Many players are now left wondering what went wrong and why the new system was implemented without properly considering the impact on players.
Prior to the update, players had the option to purchase keys and use the exchange market to acquire the specific items they desired. The only randomness involved was finding someone to trade with or locating a supplier for rare items. The new update follows a similar approach but with much higher prices.
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