Halloween often brings a mix of excitement and frustration to the gaming world. While pumpkin spice and spooky vibes fill the air, many online multiplayer games traditionally release new skins and cosmetics, only to hide the most appealing ones behind steep paywalls. Imagine wanting a cool witch hat for your character, only to find it costs $5, or a full outfit for $20. This common practice can be incredibly disheartening.
However, the new World of Warcraft competitor, Fellowship, is breaking this trend. Having played the dungeon-focused title recently, the announcement of a ‘Halloween update’ initially made me skeptical, expecting another microtransaction-heavy event. Fortunately, I was proven wonderfully wrong.
The event, aptly named ‘The Haunting of Stronghold,’ plunges players into the eerie ruins of an ancient fort. After setting up a base there, you soon discover that the spirits of its former inhabitants aren’t too pleased and have returned to reclaim their domain. This supernatural disturbance has transformed the game’s central hub with chilling new visuals and audio, and a mysterious new vendor has arrived.
The true highlight of this event lies in its cosmetics. Players can acquire two new mounts, the ‘Haunted Broom’ and the ‘Broomstick of the Wicked,’ along with fresh outfits for each hero, all unlockable using in-game Gold. The Haunted Broom costs 120 Gold, while the more elaborate Broomstick of the Wicked can be yours for 480 Gold.
Hero cosmetics also come with a simple unlock requirement: play ten dungeons with your chosen hero, then spend 60 Gold for the item. This system means you earn rewards by simply playing the game – a refreshingly player-friendly approach without any obscure prerequisites. The focus is purely on gameplay and earning your way to those coveted seasonal items.
But the Halloween event isn’t the only exciting addition. A substantial new patch accompanies ‘The Haunting of Stronghold,’ addressing some of the game’s most criticized UI elements. A new ‘Important Hero Buffs’ bar has been integrated, exclusively tracking buffs from a character’s unique abilities and talents. Additionally, an ability tracker timer now highlights active powers in yellow for improved visibility, and a “growth direction” setting allows players to customize how buffs expand from a central point. These thoughtful changes aim to significantly enhance the user experience.
In an era where many major game titles still heavily push microtransactions, it’s encouraging to see developers like Chief Rebel choose a different path, focusing on winning players back through rewarding gameplay. This mirrors other recent industry shifts, such as MMO giant Jagex initiating a community poll to remove one of RuneScape’s most controversial microtransactions, which is likely to pass. While flashy cosmetic purchases can be enticing, the satisfaction of earning something through dedicated effort is far sweeter. Fellowship’s commitment to this philosophy, especially after its initial launch challenges, is a move I truly hope other developers will emulate. It’s time they smelled the pumpkin-spiced coffee.
Fellowship’s ‘Haunting of Stronghold’ Halloween event runs from today, Thursday, October 30, until Thursday, November 13.