Killing Floor 3 is coming, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the FPS game right on release. If you’ve ever played either of the first two entries in Tripwire Interactive’s series, then you know how chaotic and fun Killing Floor 3 may be, especially with friends. With all of the excitement building for the iconic series’ new installment, many of us have been wondering about microtransactions and how they’ll work. In an exclusive interview during Gamescom, we got to sit down with the creative director, Bryan Wynia, to discuss this.
When asked about the future of the game, Wynia stressed that the developers want to “learn from some of the things that players are enjoying right now” and avoid Killing Floor 3 becoming “pay to win.” Tripwire wants microtransactions to stay a “cosmetic-only driven system,” citing how well bigger features being free is working in the second game. “When you look at how we’ve updated Killing Floor 2, there have been a lot of items like maps have been free.”
“That’s something we want to continue to explore at this time,” Wynia continued. He clarified though that “it’s still early in development” so “we’re still figuring out our monetization plan.” Regardless, Wynia stated that the devs know they “want to do something that is classic Killing Floor and elevating what games as a service is” so as to have it “fit within our brand and in our franchise.”
The director then spoke about how Tripwire is working on creating a cosmetic-only microtransaction space in-game, saying that it’s about expressing yourself to your teammates. The devs are currently figuring out how to “prototype” such a system, to help players “flex those cosmetic muscles” in front of their friends.
Wynia acknowledged a question he often gets, “Why are you selling skins in a first-person game?” His reply is that it’s about “providing the player opportunities to showboat, but in a positive way.” The director uses co-op gameplay as an example, saying players can coordinate their outfits or simply “enjoy the way they look.” In the end, it’s all about how you “express yourself as a gamer” in Killing Floor 3, “but also doing it so it fits” within the game’s world.
While you wait to learn more about Killing Floor 3, you can have a look through some of our other favorite horror games if you need to scratch that spooky itch. Alternatively, browse through our roundup of great multiplayer games for more things to play with your friends until you can shoot your way through hordes of grim zombies.
Gamescom 2023 reporting provided by Ed Smith.