Version 1.5 has been mired by bugs, login issues and monetisation upsets.
Version 1.5 of Infinity Nikki is Infold’s biggest update yet, but the launch didn’t exactly go well. Bugs, crashes, and login issues left tons of players unable to even try out the new patch, leading to its new Steam launch settling into Mixed reviews within hours. Subtle monetisation changes were also ruffling feathers with Chinese players taking to the Steam forums to warn off potential stylists. Safe to say, it wasn’t the warm reception Infold was likely expecting.
It didn’t take long for the developer to release a lengthy apology letter complete with some in-game currency to say sorry—apologems if you will—addressing some of the more glaring issues and simultaneously not really doing much about others.
Infold says it’s already sorted out “nearly one hundred issues,” with plans to do some more repair work over the following days. It also touched upon some of the backlash that happened in the patch’s first few hours—namely events like Mira Crown which serve as a huge free source of currency being extended from two to three weeks.
Thankfully, Infold has, er, folded pretty quickly on that change. It says it’ll now be running two Mira Crown events a month with static dates: The first on the 1st of each month and the second on the 16th of each month.
It also addressed anger around the increase in the number of pieces per outfit. Prior to Version 1.5, every 5-star outfit sported either nine or 10 pieces, requiring a maximum of between 180 and 200 pulls to obtain the full thing. That’s already pretty steep by gacha standards, but Infold then went ahead and released two 11-piece outfits this patch which pushed the max up to an eye-watering 220 pulls. Couple it with the fact that some of the outfit pieces aren’t even visible, like stockings with a floor-length ballgown, and it’s been pretty poorly received.
Players have been calling for Infold to drop the maximum number of pulls required down to 180—currently Infinity Nikki guarantees one 5-star item every 20 pulls, which can lead to the ridiculously high 220 pulls maximum if your luck is particularly scuppered—but it doesn’t seem like that’s something the developer is willing to do right now.
Infold cites the increased complexity of both outfits—they sport special effects and abilities like bespoke co-op animations and music—as a reason behind the increased number of items. It mostly apologises for not communicating the change earlier, and promises that “the number of pieces in 5-star outfits will not exceed 11” going forward. It’s a response that hasn’t exactly gone down well, and already has people fretting of potential 6-star outfits in the future that’ll be even more expensive with even more pieces to collect.
The last thing Infold touched upon was the new dye system, one which is confusing and also pretty tedious. Each item of clothing has several colour palettes to unlock and, well, you have to do that for every single item of clothing. Infold’s asking folk to email their customer service with feedback and suggestions, and promises more advanced dyeing options in the future.
It wraps up the incredibly lengthy apology by saying “Please give us one more chance—to let Nikki’ starlight continue to shine for us all, and to keep the warmth in our hearts forever burning bright.”
Despite the shaky reaction the community’s had to the letter, I do at least have to commend Infold for throwing the apology out there relatively quickly. I’ve been a fan of the series since Love Nikki in 2017, and I’ve experienced the pain of seeing zero communication when players were unhappy with how things were being handled.
Getting something this lengthy within hours of the backlash is at least a start, especially with the Mira Crown changes. Infold has been pretty receptive so far to changing things players aren’t happy with—getting rid of limited-time currency for example—so fingers crossed we’ll be getting some bigger changes soon.
One thing Infold has seemingly ignored, though, is the apparent retconning of its story. The opening chapter has been totally changed with a new tutorial and new story, something which has left people understandably confused, myself included. That’s the one big thing I’m waiting to be addressed, which I hope happens sooner rather than later.
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