Temtem drops monetization as developer confirms that no new content is coming after the next update

A week after sparking a sometimes acrimonious debate over whether or not its game is really an MMO, Temtem developer Crema has announced that no new islands, Tems, or passes will be released for the game following the upcoming 1.7 update, and that all microtransactions in the game are being removed.

Temtem was brought to life by a 2018 Kickstarter campaign that raised nearly $574,000, far beyond its initial $70,000 goal. Crema described it in that campaign as a «massively multiplayer creature collecting adventure,» although it clarified in an FAQ that its vision for the game «is a lot smaller» that conventional MMOs. Even so, the use of the term set expectations among some players for its long-term future—expectations that many of them feel haven't been met.

That was the crux of the conversations that began in February when Crema announced a new game called Temtem: Swarm, which some members of the community took as a sign that the original Temtem was being abandoned. 

Crema CEO Enrique Paños Montoya did not smooth those waters when he waded into the fray on Discord, saying that if Temtem fans wanted the series to live on, «what you would really ask for is for us to stop improving Temtem 1 and start working on something new. As of now, we are improving Temtem 1 just for you, even if it never seems enough.»

A studio rep later told GamesRadar that Temtem is not going away, and that it will continue to receive more updates alongside development of Temtem: Swarm. In a lengthy new statement posted today on Steam, Crema provided details about its plan for Temtem's future: The 1.7 patch, expected to arrive in early June, will feature a new season, new Tamer Pass, and the usual mix of bug fixes, balance changes, and quality of life improvements; it will also eliminate all real-money microtransactions, so anything that was previously purchasable with the Nova premium currency will be available with Feathers instead. It's also planned to be the last update with a new season