U4GM’s entrance into selling items is both unsurprising and concerning

[jornw]

Hi all,

Been playing Dune: Awakening since launch and I’ve seen the grind, the updates, the nerfs, etc. U4GM’s entrance into selling items is both unsurprising and concerning — unsurprising because everyone’s looking for shortcuts, and concerning for balance.

How it compares to farming over time:

Early game is brutal: gathering water, surviving sandstorms, upgrading base, avoiding PvP losses. Mid‑game you begin unlocking schematics but still often short on rare blueprints or quality gear. Late game, you need legendary components and vehicles, which are very hard to get without heavy investment of time.

U4GM sort‑of compresses that gap — you can “skip” some parts of that progression. That’s appealing when progress feels slow, but it can also mean you miss the learning/skill arcs (experience, risk management, base building, defending your loot, etc.).

Potential community & meta effects:

Might make smaller guilds or newer players less competitive, unless they also have means to purchase or trade.

Could result in inflation: if many players buy vehicles or blueprints, the market value of those things may drop (in whatever trading or player‑driven economy the game has).

Also, some tension may arise between those who “bought” parts of their progression vs those who earned everything.

My suggestion to maintain long term satisfaction:

I’ll probably mix both: buy some items, but also play the grind. Keep working on crafting, building bases, exploring fully. That way, I get benefits of both. Also, support dev events, community builds, etc., so it doesn’t feel hollow.

Anyone else feel like buying items lessens the “story” of your character journey? For me, sometimes the grind adds character—if everything comes too easily, it kind of flattens the experience.