Beast Burst Entertainment’s upcoming MMORPG Scars of Honor will be free-to-play when it releases, with a full-throated rejection of pay-to-win items. But just what constitutes pay-to-win in the studio’s estimation? And just how does it plan to make money anyway? Those were the topics of conversation in an influencer livestream with creative director Aleksandar “Venelin” Filipov, which the studio happily summarized for those who don’t want to bother watching a Twitch VOD.
First off, Filipov clarified that cash shop items that affect progression, such as XP boosters or loot boosters, fall within the pay-to-win bucket and so will not be sold in the game’s store. Convenience items, however, such as inventory slots, do not fall under that umbrella so long as they’re also earnable in-game, so he agrees that any cash shop convenience should also be something that can be achieved from gameplay.
So, just how will SOH earn its scratch? Through cosmetics, primarily, though there will also be battle passes that will not expire once bought and items that let players transmog gear. Filipov argues that server costs are the most expensive part of running an MMORPG, but that his studio’s bespoke infrastructure means that Beast Burst can avoid aggressive monetization practices. He also says that there will never be a subscription for SOH, as he believes “subscriptions and free-to-play don’t add up.”
As far as early access goes, it reads like things haven’t been fully tied down here: Filipov agrees that wipes and resets make paying players feel punished, but those who buy in late might feel as if early adopters are too far ahead, thereby hitting pay-to-win territory, so “ideally” early access will be free as well. He does float the idea of special cosmetics for early access, however.
Last but not least, the free-to-play game being potentially overrun with bots was brought up: Filipov believes that the gathering minigames will actively prevent automation and assures that bot removal will be swift. He also affirms that there will be no open world full-loot PvP, as he says that gameplay style can damage MMORPGs long-term.
All of this is more specifically aimed at when the game does make its undated release. The more immediate event is the beginning of playtesting – aka the demo – sometime this spring, which will get additional dates and details in the coming weeks, followed by a monetization test in late 2026 that will grant players free currency to test cosmetic purchases and gather feedback on sold items. Beast Burst recently put out a showcase video that once again recaps its December info dump; you can watch that below if you need another reminder.
