To the BlackShot Global Community,
Oftentimes, games must undergo significant changes to remain competitive in the marketplace. For long-lived games this fact is even more evident, and BlackShot is no different.
For this reason, BlackShot is changing .
Before detailing the coming changes, however, our team would like to first express our tremendous appreciation for all the dedicated members of our game community. Last year BlackShot surpassed its 10th year of service, an achievement seldom reached in the gaming industry, and we are truly humbled by your continued support that made such a feat possible.
In the four years that BlackShot Global has been operating directly under Vertigo Games/Papaya Play, our team has strived to continually improve the game experience in every possible. Some of these initiatives include: implementing the BattlEye Anti-Cheat system, introducing dedicated servers for the Brazilian community, adding Portuguese, German, and French as supported languages, and unifying all payment gateways for ease of access. Our goal is to make the game the best it can possibly be for everyone, and the changes coming later this month are the next step towards reaching that goal.
While we know that you love BlackShot, and have for many years, it cannot be denied that the game’s legacy foundations are beginning to show. In the years since BlackShot’s release, FPS conventions have moved in many exciting new directions, especially in the Free-to-Play space, and our team believes introducing some of these can help iron out some of the game’s more contentious issues and make the overall experience more enjoyable for everyone.
Here’s what this means for you :
Substantial system changes, more impactful than any our team have released in the past ten years, are coming July 25th. These changes are tantamount to a product relaunch, and we have collectively titled them BlackShot Revolution.
In brief, BlackShot Revolution’s major changes/additions include:
Total Weapon Rebalance
All weapons in BlackShot Revolution are completely permanent, and instead of timing out, will now degrade with use until they need to be repaired (this will not impact the weapon’s stats, however). This means no more lost gear or play time. Furthermore, every single weapon in the weapon in the game is being rebalanced to promote overall fairness and further strengthen competitive play.
Streamlined Leveling
The Level-Up System is being streamlined and revamped with new rewards. Ranks are also now reflected by a single numerical value (ex. Level 58), making it easier for new recruits and seasoned Mercenaries alike to see how they measure up against the competition.
Currency Overhaul
The BS and BSC currencies are both being replaced with the more thematically-appropriate Gold and Gems and having their functionalities significantly adjusted. Gold can be used to purchase most Shop items and perform other critical game functions, while Gems are exclusively reserved for purchasing Goldboxes and cosmetic/customization items.
The full details of these major changes, plus the rest of what BlackShot Revolution has to offer, will be revealed closer to the full launch date of July 25th.
Now, for the bad news :
The coming system changes are so substantial that the game data format must be completely reformatted, a process that will result in the loss of all existing player progression and set all accounts back to Level 1 under the new progression system. While the loss of data was never our goal from the outset of this project, it quickly became apparent in development that it was necessary for our vision for BlackShot to be fully realized.
Despite the data being removed, though, there will be carry-over into BlackShot Revolution for inventory items, ranks, and unused currency, including:
- All inventory items, BS currency, and progression ranks, will be converted into the new Gold currency and credited to accounts when Revolution launches.
- All BSC currency in player accounts is being converted into Gems.
- Weapon Masteries and ranks will be immortalized in the new Hall of Fame, coming to the BlackShot Revolution website.
As can be expected, given the nature of the wipe, the Goldbox system will also be deactivated in-game until Revolution launches.
We do not expect this news to be met with enthusiasm by everyone in the community; indeed, it is one of the most difficult development choices we have had to make, and we know many will have strong feelings about it. All we ask for now is for you have trust in our team, and trust that these changes are what is best for the game we all love. We believe that Revolution will make the beginning of BlackShot’s next great chapter, and we invite all of you to join us for the journey.
We will keep you updated with more news through all of BlackShot’s official channels as the July 25th launch day approaches.
- Team BlackShot