A “large-scale” update for Chocobo GP is planned to release on May 31st that includes new content, features, and changes to the game’s operating policy regarding it’s optional paid features.

Balamb Garden from Final Fantasy VIII will appear as a new track, as well as a new Demon Series mode. The team has also tweaked how some characters play, where some will take less damage when attacked by abilities while others will find it easier to fill their ability gauge.

Beyond that, major revisions to how microtransactions and the freemium model (in a premium game) are set to take place, including the removal of transactions that bestow level ups and stickers, a lower amount of daily and weekly challenges to collect rewards and all major items can be obtained by level 20 on a prize pass.

The changes come after a disappointing launch where players felt blindsided by the amount of microtransactions and gacha-style grinding involved to collect skins and tracks.

You can check out the full list of changes below

Version 1.1.0 Features

• Players of the Lite edition are now able to participate in online multiplayer modes.
• The new track “Balamb Garden” has been added to the game.
  • This track can be selected in Multiplayer, Time Attack and Custom Race modes.
  • This track will appear in Chocobo GP mode once Season 2 has started.
• New series “The Demon Series” has been added to the game.
  • This series can be selected once you have earned a rank of 3rd place or higher in the Omega Series.
• From Season 2 onwards, mirrored versions of tracks will appear in Chocobo GP mode.
• Some character capabilities have been adjusted.
  • The following characters will now take less damage when attacked with abilities and will only crash rather than being wiped out: Steiner, Mecha Chocobo, Cactuar
  • It has been made easier for the following characters to fill their ability gauge: Gilgamesh, Maduin.
• Magicite can now be used while taunting.
• Gil remaining at the end of a season can now be carried over to the next season.
• The number of crystals required to obtain an Item Ticket has now been fixed at 10.
  • Please be aware that when this update is applied, the total number of crystals a player has collected will be reduced down to a single digit (the units value is retained, with tens and hundreds removed).
• The in-race BGM select feature can now be used from the start.
• Improvements to issues where characters were getting caught on the terrain of some tracks.
• Other improvements and bug fixes.

Operating Policies for Season 2 and beyond:

• Premium Prize Passes, Level-Up Tickets and Team Stickers are being taken down from sale.
  • Team Stickers will now mainly be earned as prize level rewards and will not be available from the shop in future.
  • Prize Passes (e.g. the non-premium Prize Passes) will still be sold.
  • To commemorate the start of Season 2, all players will be gifted an 800 mythril log-in bonus.
• As a basic policy, all costumes and other products added to the mythril shop will remain on sale for the subsequent season and beyond.
• The size of scores obtained through playing Chocobo GP has been increased.
• Mythril has been added to the prize level rewards
• The composition of prize level rewards has been re-assessed so all major items can now be obtained by the time you reach level 20.
  • Level 21 and beyond are now extra levels that are mainly focused on earning gil.
• The characters and other reward items earned as prize level rewards will also be sold in the Ticket Shop.
  • As a rule, there will be no limited availability period for items on sale in the Ticket Shop and they will still be available to purchase during the next season and beyond.
  • If a player has already purchased the same item from the Ticket Shop when they earn it as a prize level reward then they will receive an amount of gil instead.
• Items added to the Gil Shop will only be Premium colours and Wallpapers from now on.
  • The new characters added for Season 2 will all be available as prize level rewards and sold at the Ticket Shop.
  • The items available for Season 1 that were not Premium colours or Wallpapers will remain on sale in the Gil Shop.
• Adjustments to challenges
  • The number of daily challenges issued will be limited to one.
  • The victory conditions for weekly challenges will be made easier to achieve.
  • The rewards for each challenge will be changed to gil only and the actual amount received will increase.
• Weekly log-in bonuses (50 mythril) will be abandoned.
• During Season 1, there were a number of different issues that led to Team Stickers disappearing and this caused great inconvenience for players. We sincerely apologise for the trouble caused. As mentioned above, Team Stickers will no longer be on sale at the shop from Season 2 onwards, and will be obtained as prize level rewards instead. Going forward, we will be offering the following log-in bonus to all players, to enhance everyone’s enjoyment of Chocobo GP. Bonus: 3000 mythril available to claim from the start to finish of Season 2 (Can only be claimed once)

Chocobo GP • Opening Gameplay