Disney Speedstorm, the popular fantasy racer developed by Gameloft, is heading into its seventh season with a significant change in its premium season pass system. In a recent announcement, it was revealed that the premium season pass for Disney Speedstorm, known as the ‘Golden Pass,’ will no longer be available for purchase using in-game currency. Previously, players were able to upgrade from the free track to the premium version by using the earnable in-game currency known as ‘Tokens.’ However, moving forward, players will need to pay $9.99 / €9.99 in real money to access the Premium Pass. Additionally, there will be ‘Golden Pass Bundles’ available for $19.99 / €19.99, allowing players to skip the first 15 tiers of the pass.
The latest Speedstorm “Pit Stop” community post outlined the key changes that players can expect in the upcoming seasons of Disney Speedstorm. The seasons will now be divided into two parts, each containing 4-5 Season Tour Chapters. Each part will include a free Golden Pass track, offering 100 tiers of rewards to earn for free. The tiers will now require 1000 XP to complete, which is a 50% drop from the previous requirements, making rewards quicker to earn. The premium Golden Pass will be available for $9.99 / €9.99 for each part, with an option to purchase the premium Golden Pass Bundle for $19.99 / €19.99, including 15 tier skips. Notably, Golden Passes will no longer be purchasable with Tokens, only as a direct purchase using real money.
Unsurprisingly, the announcement of these changes has sparked controversy among the Disney Speedstorm player base. Many players took to social media, particularly Twitter, to express their disappointment and frustration with the new premium season pass model. Some players who had been saving up Tokens to purchase future Gold Passes felt betrayed by the sudden shift to a real-money system. The introduction of a new single-player Tournaments Mode with limited free attempts per day and an additional cost of $7.99 / €7.99 for unlimited tickets via the ‘Vault Pass’ further compounded the issue.
As players voice their concerns and criticisms regarding the new premium season pass model in Disney Speedstorm, the question remains whether Gameloft will address these issues and potentially roll back some of the changes in response to the backlash. However, based on past practices in the gaming industry, it is unlikely that significant changes will be made. Players who aspire to unlock all of the rewards and content in Disney Speedstorm will need to be prepared to invest a considerable amount of money, approximately $30 per season, to access all of the premium features.
The controversy surrounding Disney Speedstorm’s premium season pass highlights the ongoing debate within the gaming community regarding monetization practices and their impact on player experience. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, players are becoming more vigilant and vocal about their expectations for fair and transparent payment models in games. It remains to be seen how Gameloft will navigate this challenging terrain and whether they will address the concerns raised by their player base.
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