Announcement Regarding Changes to Skin Acquisition Methods
This post is from CEO of SUNCYAN Ohjun Kwon
"Hello, everyone.
I’m Ohjun Kwon, a developer of The Spike Cross and the CEO of SUNCYAN.
I have carefully read all the feedback you shared through the survey following our last announcement. I know you have been waiting to hear what will change, and I apologize for taking so long to update you.
First, I would like to explain again why we changed how skins are obtained.
Previously, player rerun events and skin acquisition were tied together. This meant that users who had already reached the maximum Breakthrough level, or who had little interest in further Breakthroughs, faced a higher cost to obtain skins. This may not yet feel like a major issue for most users, but the system placed a greater burden on those who had already developed their players to high Breakthrough levels when those players returned in a later event.
Every skin release also required a player rerun event. This made events larger, increased preparation time, and lengthened the wait between reruns. These issues would only grow as more players were added and reruns continued, so we felt that changing this structure was necessary to support the game in the long term.
To address these issues, we separated player recruitment from skin purchases.
However, we did not give enough consideration to how you viewed the existing skin system in The Spike Cross, or to what you expected from it. With your survey feedback in mind, alongside the conditions needed to keep the game running sustainably, we plan to adjust skin acquisition as outlined below.
Our basic approach will remain centered on selling skins.
Continuing to develop and maintain the game requires a sustainable source of revenue. Player recruitment is currently an important part of that, but we also want to maintain our commitment to helping users who actively participate in events obtain the event players as reliably as possible.
We have also considered how to make purchases feel worthwhile. In the long run, we believe it is better to build our revenue model around skins, which do not affect game balance.
At the same time, we understand that current skin prices feel too high. Completely shutting out users who find it difficult to spend money, including those in regions where purchases are less accessible, would go against how we want to run the game.
We will therefore keep skins primarily as paid products while making them easier to obtain through lower base prices, a range of discounts, better-value packages, and ways to earn S Points through gameplay.
1. Opportunities for All Users to Earn S Points
We will introduce ways to collect S Points through gameplay.
We are planning around 140 S Points per month, allowing you to purchase one Regular skin every three months at its discounted Pick-up price. We know this is a modest amount if you want to collect a variety of skins. At the same time, purchases need to feel worthwhile for those who pay for skins, so earning them through gameplay will continue to require time and participation.
※ These opportunities are planned to begin with the next skin event.
2. Lower Prices for Epic and Ace Skins
We plan to lower the base prices and discounted Pick-up prices of Epic and Ace skins as follows.
Epic Skins
- Base price: 2,400 → 1,640 S Points
- Pick-up price (50% off): 1,200 → 820 S Points
Ace Skins
- Base price: 1,640 → 1,180 S Points
- Pick-up price (50% off): 820 → 590 S Points
3. Legendary Skin Raffle Costs Will Stay the Same
Unlike other skins, Legendary skins are obtained through a Skin Raffle that also awards a range of in-game currencies and costumes.
After considering these rewards, the free S Points we plan to introduce, and event packages offering 20% more S Points, we have decided to keep the current raffle costs.
Because obtaining a Legendary skin requires a substantial number of S Points, we will put even more care into its quality so that it feels polished and rewarding enough to justify that cost.
4. Event S Point Packages
During future skin events, we will offer better-value packages that provide 20% more S Points.
For example, a purchase of 1,000 S Points will include an additional 200, for a total of 1,200 S Points. These packages are being prepared with purchase limits.
5. Additional Discounts
We are also preparing to offer 60% off selected skins during regular sales or Pick-up periods.
Depending on the skins included and the sale period, you will be able to purchase them at prices lower than those offered by the current 50% discount.
6. Compensation for Existing Purchasers
To everyone who trusted us and purchased packages after the event began, we sincerely apologize for the confusion caused by these sudden changes during the event.
For existing purchasers, we will refund the full difference between the S Points already spent and the adjusted prices. We will also grant additional S Points equal to 5% of the S Points provided by the packages you purchased.
※ Refunds and additional S Points are scheduled for November 4–5, after the update completes App Store review. The additional 5% applies only to users who purchased packages before 24:00 KST (UTC+9), the end of the day of this announcement.
7. Future Skin Reruns and New Skins
We plan to run Legendary skin reruns and skin discount events independently of new player releases, with as few gaps as possible. We are also actively working on a variety of new skins to introduce before the end of this year.
We will continue working to bring you appealing player skins made with care.
Thank you for taking part in the survey and sharing your thoughts on how we can make the game better. Reading each of your responses has been a great help.
I am truly sorry for letting you down. We will listen more closely to what you have to say and do our best to earn back your trust with a better game.
Thank you."
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