Dying Light 2 devs launch update, backtrack three hours later

Dying Light 2’s recent 1.2 patch has not gone down well with fans, who are angry after the update nerfed one of the game’s best items. 

Although intended as an easter egg, the Korek Charm has become beloved by players for effectively letting them bypass the game’s weapon’s degradation system. Weapons in Dying Light 2 degrade with use, requiring you to discard them and replace them with shiny new options.

While it’s possible to restore the durability of degraded weapons by equipping them with stat-boosting mods, each mod only restores a meager 50 durability points. In comparison, the beloved Korek Charm restored a massive 500 durability points, effectively making weapons unbreakable.

Dying Light 2’s 1.2 patch, however, has nerfed the Korek Charm, reducing its durability buff to only 300 points. Additionally, you must now spend 666 scrap (the game’s collectible resource) to craft the item. Rest assured, that’s a lot of scrap, which will take a long time to accumulate in-game.

Many Dying Light 2 players didn’t respond well to the item nerf, which wasn’t listed in the official 1.2 patch notes. Most are disappointed that the Korek Charm will no longer let them circumvent the game’s weapon degradation system, forcing them to switch between weapons rather than sticking with their favorite.

The Korek Charm was especially favored by late-game players who had completed its main questline. By equipping the item, they could explore the game’s large map without becoming burdened with a weapon management system they’d rather avoid.

Techland has already responded to players’ concerns, promising to adjust the item in upcoming updates. “We wanted to balance it, not make it unfun,” the official Dying Light 2 Twitter account said in a response to one fan’s feedback.

The game’s lead designer Tymon Smektała, meanwhile, said the item was tweaked without his knowing, and said he would “try to restore it & make it more meaningful”. He also pointed out that the Korek Charm was originally designed as an easter egg, not an official means to bypass the game’s degradation system. 

Analysis: broken weapons are contentious

Weapons degradation systems have long been a point of contention in video games. While designers see them as a convenient means of encouraging players to test the many items in a game, players often complain they’re cumbersome, spoiling a game’s fun by throwing up irritating obstacles.

The reaction of Dying Light 2’s players to this latest patch only cements that view. Most are disappointed that they no longer have any easy way to make their weapons unbreakable, forcing them to engage with a weapons degradation system they don’t enjoy.

Although it looks like Techland will be restoring the item to its original form, this player reaction doesn’t cast the game’s weapons system in a fantastic light. Players are actively looking for ways to bypass its intended design, and whether degrading weapons are good or bad, Techland’s implementation of the idea in Dying Light 2 doesn’t appear to have hit the mark with many fans.

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