Disney Speedstorm is a free-to-play game, at least as of season four. That means you’ve probably asked yourself the question: is Disney Speedstorm pay to win? Well, if you have, you’re in the right place. In this guide, I’m going to take a deep-dive into the Disney Speedstorm monetisation to answer the question once and for all: is this a p2w game?
For those unaware, Disney Speedstorm is basically Mario Kart with Disney characters. It’s developed by Gameloft, the makers of Asphalt, so expect boosting and knocking other players off the track to also play a part. You collect characters, use items to help you or hinder your opponents, and race on themed tracks.
Check it out right now on Google Play. We also have guides on how to play Disney Speedstorm local co-op, Disney Speedstorm crossplay, and Disney Speedstorm aerial stunts.
Disney Speedstorm Pay to Win
Now, let’s take a deep dive at Disney Speedstorm’s monetisation as we asses whether it’s pay-to-win or not.
What Can You Buy in Disney Speedstorm?
So, the first step in assessing the monetisation is to take a look at what you can actually purchase in Disney Speedstorm. This will help us determine what, if any, pay-to-win opportunities there are.
Here’s a breakdown of how the store is split up:
- Golden Pass: Season Pass Premium, basically. This provides you with tons of character upgrades, including Racer Shards, Upgrades, Season Points, Credits, and cosmetics. This has pay-to-win potential, given the sheer number of upgrades and Racer Shards in particular.
- For You: This includes Starter Packs and Unlock Packs, which let you unlock and upgrade select characters. You can also Upgrade Parts, though these cost the in-game currency, Season Points. Low pay-to-win here with character unlocks, but nothing too awful.
- Themed Sections: These focus on specific characters, which at the moment include Aladdin, Mulan, Pirates of the Caribbean, Hercules, and Beauty and the Beast. Some of these are purely cosmetics, but others help you boost specific characters to set tiers. Medium pay-to-win potential here, given that they mostly cost the premium currency.
- Season Coins: You can earn a lot of these just for playing, but you can swap your premium currency for shed loads. Medium pay-to-win impact.
- Boxes: Loot boxes that provide character upgrade parts, primarily. They’re cheap but you’re relying on luck. Middling pay-to-win impact.
- Daily Specials: Upgrade Parts, Crew Shards, and Racer Shards. Mostly Season Points, which you can earn by playing, but some premium currency too. Low pay-to-win impact.
- Currencies: Here’s where you purchase Tokens, the premium currency. Boy, these are expensive.
So, is Disney Speedstorm Pay to Win?
In a word: absolutely. For absolute clarity, a game is pay to win if you can spend your real life money on items that specifically grant you an item that provides a gameplay advantage. This includes an item you couldn’t get any other way, or something that’s time-gated otherwise.
Judging from the monetisation above, the Golden Pass, For You, Themed Sections, Boxes, and Daily Specials all feature items that tick this boxes. Fundamentally, while it might require a deep investment on your part, you can absolutely pay for an advantage in this free to play game.
