Konami is primed to roll out a 960MB update for its critically-adorned Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain that could prove to be one of the most controversial yet. Arriving in preparation of Metal Gear Online, the patch introduces a system known as the optional “FOB insurance service.” No, really.
Designed as an in-game service to leverage the expenses of items, staff and equipments lost during invasions to your precious Mother Base, the addition of the micro-transactions has already sparked an impassioned backlash from The Phantom Pain‘s community.
Due to go live today, October 6, the update is all about the game’s FOB (Forward Operating Base) feature, adding an array of missions that allow players to invade the bases of other players in an attempt to steal various materials and resources.
Don’t fancy that? Well, Konami has you covered, but for a price.
- Your FOBs are always at risk of coming under attack. Now, you can rest easy with FOB insurance (paid service). If you sign up for insurance, then during the insurance period you will be compensated for any materials and staff lost due to rival infiltrations.
- Staff/materials stolen by the rival will in fact remain on your base, and an identical amount of staff/materials will be handed over to the rival instead.
- MB Coins are purchased with real money, but free MB Coins are also distributed periodically as login bonuses, etc.
- The following are not covered by FOB insurance: Staff/items that are not fully your property, such as abducted staff being held in your Brig (FOB), Wounded staff (staff lost due to death or extraction will be compensated), Staff used by you to deploy in defense of the FOB (neither death nor extraction will be compensated), Nuclear weapons.
Purchased via real-world money, the necessity of FOB Insurance and the coverage it entails will ultimately be decided by the players. Even still, its addition is just another paid-for element in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain – alongside MB Coins – that has irked the game’s massive install base.