Just over a year ago, I got into reading manga. This interest was started by learning about the series Spy X Family. I’ve all the released tankōbon and watched (and digitally own) the first 1.5 seasons of the anime. When I learned that they were doing an event in PUBG Mobile, it piqued my interest. The crossover event earlier this year in Street Fighter 6 was a disappointment, but this felt different. PUBG Mobile‘s Spy X Family wasn’t what I expected and I’ve learned a few things because of it.
The more you play, the more you unlock
I’ve dabbled in a few cross-promotional events in other games. Usually, there are a few free rewards but the best “items” cost you money. That’s how I earned free Blackpink costumes in PUBG Mobile. I played to unlock some free sets but the best items required spending money (which I didn’t buy).
For the Spy X Family event, they put into something they call “Prize Path”. The entry fee is 600 UC, which amounts to $14 CDN. Once you’ve done that, you unlock missions. Completing missions earns you “peanuts” (Anya’s favorite treat from the series). The peanuts you earn help you to level up, with a reward for every level.
There are 9 main rewards in this event. You have the best items being a Twilight and Thron Princess Set for your character. Then you have a Bond (their dog) glider, a parachute, and a few other items. No doubt the sets are the best and that glider looks pretty cool. But this is where my disappointment begins.
It’s easy to get to level 20, it’s impossible to get all the rewards
The missions for this mode are relatively straightforward with a few exceptions. You have tasks like playing Classic mode with friends or logging into the game for 15 days. Then you have more challenging ones, such as killing 15 foes with the MK14 or eliminating 10 foes from at least 100 metres away. Lastly, some missions require doing specific actions that are only possible after reaching max level.
It took me no more than 10 days to reach level 20. When you reach Level 20, you unlock seven of the nine rewards. The level system only lets you unlock one of the two sets. As for the Bond Glider, you can only earn that through opening crates. You only get access to crates when you reach the max level.
You can open crates either by spending UC tokens or through “peanut points”. Even when you reach level 20, you can still complete missions to earn the “peanuts” to spend in the event store. This would be a fun way to keep players engaged. The problem is that you don’t earn enough peanuts to unlock the last remaining rewards.
I will never have enough Peanuts
Currently, I have completed 80% of the missions. Of the remaining points I can get through those missions, the most peanuts I can get is 1630. I have 760, which means that I can only earn a total of 2390 points.
Since the Bond Glider is only found in crates, I can either spend UC or points to open crates and hope I get one. I’ve already opened 22 and only earned the temporary gliders and a ton of stickers. The cost of one crate is either 10 UC for the first one or 50 peanuts. A 10-pack is 270 UC or 500 peanuts. For the 21 crates, I used 1000 peanuts (there is a mission to open 20 and it gives you 400).
The glider is a mythic item, which means there is only an 11.69% chance of getting one. Having already opened over 20+ crates, I don’t like my chances. While this is bad, the last reward is downright impossible.
It costs how much?
After the glider, the last reward is the Twilight or Thorn Princess set you didn’t unlock. I used my level 20 reward to get the Thorn Princess reward. It’s the better-looking of the two. Also, considering you unlock Yor’s stiletto weapon, it just makes more sense. But for anyone considering getting both, you are hit with a rude awakening.
Loid’s Twilight set will set you back either 7200 peanut points or 4800 UC. As I mentioned previously, I can only earn the remaining 2390 points. That’s only a third of the cost. I don’t believe there is a way to earn that many points unless you spent UC to level up.
If you don’t have enough peanut points, then you can buy it for 4800 UC. The problem is that 4800 UC is not a normal amount you can buy. First, you would have to spend $70 to get 3850 UC. Then, spend another 35 dollars to get 1800 UC. That’s $105 for 5650 UC. So, the Twilight Set is about 90-100 dollars. That’s insane!
Those who manage to get all nine rewards, also get a Spy X Family-themed Player Card, Avatar Frame, and Anya Avatar. These are nice treats but I won’t be getting them. Right now, I’m praying they discount the Twilight Set even more before this event ends on Sunday.
I’ve played so much PUBG Mobile because of this
On paper, the Prize Path system is fantastic. The cost of 600 UC is only $14 CDN. Perhaps I’m being greedy since I still got the main reward I was after (the Thorn Princess set). Sure, I won’t get everything, but I still got more than fair value.
At the same time, I’m having a lot of fun in PUBG Mobile. I’m at level 59 in their Royale Pass and considering upgrading to the Elite Pass because I can reach 100. The way the Elite Pass works, if you reach the max level you get back the money you spent on it. I was angry that this wasn’t in Overwatch 2, so it’s nice to see it here.
The best part, I’ve gotten good at PUBG Mobile. Although I’m only playing squads (teams of four), my teams have been very successful. After 42 matches, I’ve won 18, had 37 top-10 finishes, and a 5.02 K/D ratio. Again, I don’t know how many bots are in each match, so my victories might be overblown but I’m still savoring this.
Understanding the investment before jumping in
Yes, I am being greedy. I was expecting you could get all the rewards. That’s not the case. Hopefully, this serves as a lesson and if there is a next time where I want to get some in-game content, I do the research.
