Splitgate 2 store gets massive discount following backlash over $80 bundles, $34 portal skins

Controversy has pushed Splitgate 2 developer 1047 Games to lower the prices of in-game cosmetics by as much as 50%.

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Yesterday, 1047 Games announced a battle royale mode for Splitgate 2 at the Summer Game Fest. On its own, that's not very controversial, but company CEO Ian Proulx went on stage wearing a hat saying 'make FPS great again' and gave some very gamer-centric takes for the leader of a professional games company: "I'm tired of playing the same Call of Duty every year, and I wish we could have Titanfall 3."

The marketing stunt stole headlines due to its MAGA political parallels, but gamers were quick to criticize Proulx and the Splitgate team because of the game's highly expensive microtransactions. Splitgate 2's premium currency is called Splitcoin, and it's sold in a way that typically requires users to buy more than they need for any one cosmetic purchase. Splitgate 2's battle royale launched with a Nano Swarm cosmetic pack that cost 8,000 Splitcoins, or $80, which is actually a discount because 1047 Games originally priced the Nano Swarm pack at 14,550 Splitcoin (an astronomically high $145). The Nano Swarm bundle includes six cosmetics: 4 weapon skins, a character skin, and a custom portal design.

The high microtransaction costs were a big reason for the push back. Splitgate 2 also had a $34 portal skin, which has since dropped to $12 just for the skin.

The way that gamers are talking about Splitgate 2 is reminiscent of Halo Infinite's cosmetic fiasco wherein 343 Industries infamously charged $8 for the color blue.

1047 Games has since lowered the prices of Splitgate 2's microtransactions just shortly after the controversy broke out, but the damage may have been done, especially since the quick price drop underlines the seemingly arbitrary $145 ceiling price of the Nano Swarm pack.

The studio is also delivering refunds to those that paid more for the bundles:

"We hear you loud and clear on the store prices. That Nano Swarm bundle, we're cutting the price in half, some of the other items in the shop--we're reducing prices across the board," 1047 Games CEO Ian Proulx said in a Twitter post.

"We're going to keep monitoring it, and keep listening, and we're going to be issuing refunds in the difference in pricing for the Splitcoin you spent. You will get that back. So now and going forward this will be the new standard that we set."