It’s incredible how
quickly Valve responds to players’ feedback. Shortly after releasing the new
mini-game known as Side Shop, Valve removed it. Many players felt that the
older version of recycling was better. After much push back, it was restored to
the original method. Interestingly, a few days later, Valve released another
statement saying that Side Shop was being restored. Turns out, a few players
liked it much better. They too complained, and in the end, got what they wanted.
How Did Valve Deal with the Return of Side Shop?
Valve obviously had
a pretty big issue on their hands. They listened to the outcry and responded
with the assumption that all would be well. Then their problem compounded when
the removal of the Side Shop was not well received. Valve made the smart
decision to allow players to have the best of both worlds. That is, players who
preferred to play with the Side Shop could enable this feature through their
settings. Those who were happy with the removal could play on without it. For
those players, Side Shop reverted to the old recycling model found in Battle
Pass T19.
What Happened to the Gold and Gems after the Removal?
Though gamers were
happy that Side Shop was back, many felt frustrated that they had continued
through the game with an altered strategy. Since they thought Side Shop was
gone for good, they used up their gems and spent their gold in ways they
wouldn’t typically. To account for this, Valve restored all the gold and gems
to their original status, as though Side Shop had never been removed.
Additionally, any items purchased in the store would be found in a player’s
inventory.
How to Use the New Side Shop
Perhaps one of the
reasons the Side Shop was so poorly received is because few players really knew
how to use it. Players familiar with Dota Auto Chess, Teamfight Tactics, or
Dota Underlords can recognize the basics of Side Shop. It has significant
differences, that when left unexplained, result in confusion and frustration.
After all, to have buy-in, players need to understand how they can succeed.
Side
Shop works like this:
The point of Side
Shop is to build three-star units. Of course, you can build one-star and
two-star units, but three-star units earn better rewards. You can use gold to
purchase the units, then sell them for gems. Red and blue gems are used to earn
rewards. You can easily purchase one-star units for gold, but they are mostly
sold for only one red gem. However, if you are buying the higher-priced
three-star units, you sell them closer to 18 red gems.
Final Remarks
Everyone likes to
have their say when it comes to their games. Therefore, personal preference can
be overlooked for the good of the game. In the case of Side Shop, Valve devised
a plan to give players the best of both worlds. The overwhelming majority of
players seemed to think this was a fair solution, allowing everyone to play how
they preferred.
