Pokémon-like Temtem ditching monetisation in June ahead of one last major patch

Developer Crema has announced it’ll be removing all monetisation from its Pokemon-like creature-battler Temtem in an update scheduled for June, with one final major patch to follow before updates refocus on bug fixing and balance changes.

Crema shared the news in a lengthy post on Steam, which spent a lot of time addressing ongoing player complaints around a lack of major new content since launch, such as more islands, new Temtem, or additional multiplayer features. Broadly, the studio says Temtem’s early access demonstrated major new content didn’t have a significant impact on the game’s player base, making it difficult to justify the development resources required – although other issues, such as mounting technical debt, are also cited as concerns.

After a lot of words, including some regret over having described the game as an “MMO” in its marketing material, Crema gets to the crux of its post: that it will release two more major updates for Temtem before development switches to more modest bug fixing and balance patches, as the studio’s focus turns to new projects.

The first of these, officially known as update 1.7, arrives this June, three months shy of Temtem 1.0’s second anniversary. It adds an Arcade Bar – the last bit of content promised as part of Temtem’s Kickstarter campaign – where players can tackle a number of Temtem-themed mini-games, as well as core changes to remove all the game’s monetisation. This, the studio says, is in response to it having “come to understand [players’ displeasure about] Temtem having microtransactions as it drifts further from a live-service game”.

As of June’s update, it will no longer be possible to purchase Nova premium currency and all items that could previously only be bought with Nova – such as cosmetics and the battle-pass-style Tamer Pass – will be available to purchase using in-game Feathers. Then, in update 1.8, Crema will remove all FOMO (fear of missing out) mechanics, meaning it’ll be possible to play any previous Tamer Pass to get its rewards, and the store will see adjustments too. “We hope this will give all players newfound goals,” the studio writes, “as all cosmetics are now within your reach, and can become available by simply playing the game.”

Update 1.8 – which Crema describes as the “last feature-filled patch of the usual size” – will also bring “a few big changes geared towards ensuring the game’s longevity, with a focus on improving the users’ experience”. These include quality of life and balance changes, adjustments to Luma and Umbra chances, a TMR rework, and a rework of Temtem’s economy, “with special focus and a close look on the endgame activities”.

“Our mission for 1.8 onwards,” Crema continues, “is to make the game more fun, enjoyable, rewarding and self-sustained, even in the absence of big updates.” The studio says to expect “small updates” focusing on bug-fixing and balance tweaks, and it stresses, “We don’t intend to close the game nor its server.”

As to what’s next for the developer, there’s the recently announced Temtem: Swarm, a “survivor-like bullet heaven” game for up to three players – which is being made in collaboration with GGTech Studios – as well as a new large-scale in-house project, described as an “unannounced, untitled, new game in the Temtem universe”. This will feature a “new combat system, a stronger engine and more things we can’t unveil yet”, but it won’t be Temtem 2.

“We hope you walk away from this with your questions answered,” the studio’s lengthy update concludes, “and a better sense of where we’re going. We hope this makes you want to continue walking with us on our attempt to build Temtem as an IP and keep making games, or, at the very least, that this helps you understand our recent decisions a bit better… We hope you can accept our apologies, and look on us gently as we keep growing, exploring and learning as a studio, as devs, and as people.”