It sounds like a good idea on paper: a new section of the cash shop in Star Trek Online that offers items that haven’t been obtainable in the game for a long time. However, the prices of those items have been met with an outcry from fans.
Mudd’s Market, which launched this past Friday, offers a selection of items like ships, ship items, and weapons among other things that have otherwise long since disappeared from the game’s rotation and also promises to offer sales on items daily. However, the prices for these items arrive at eye-watering amounts, like 2,000 Zen ($20) for a combat pet, 3,500 Zen ($35) for a ship, or 1,000 Zen ($10) for a holographic bridge officer. What’s more, these are the sale prices; it was confirmed by community manager Ambassador Kael that the original prices will be the going rate for items when sales end, meaning that 3,500 Zen ship would rise to 14,000 Zen ($140).
As one can imagine, the playerbase is incensed by the Market and the price structure to the point that legal action is being threatened. Further muddying things is the fact that earlier communications from official sources had stated that the prices were meant to be a joke, which likely prompted Ambassador Kael’s clarifying post.
As of this writing, Star Trek Online has not offered any rescinding of the Mudd’s Market launch nor issued a statement about pricing. We’ll be sure to keep an eye on things if the situation shifts.
