Marvel Contest of Champions: Is Kabam Squeezing Its Endgame Players Dry?
Don120012
Member Posts: 6 ★
### Marvel Contest of Champions: Is Kabam Squeezing Its Endgame Players Dry?
March 30, 2025
If you’ve been duking it out in *Marvel Contest of Champions* (MCOC) for a while—say, since the days when a 6-star champ was a rare flex—you’ve probably noticed something off lately. Kabam, the studio behind this decade-old mobile brawler, seems to have a knack for keeping its most dedicated players, the Paragon and Valiant-tier veterans, on a treadmill that’s suspiciously light on rewards. Meanwhile, newer players are getting showered with goodies in revamped lower-tier content like Acts 4 and 5. Meanwhile Paragon and Valiant players are struggling to collect T6 Class Catalyst.
It’s starting to feel less like a game and more like a cash grab—and the numbers back up the hunch that Kabam’s milking its loyal base on purpose.
Let’s start with the evidence in-game. Back in 2023 Kabam rolled out a hefty rewards buff for Act 4 and And recently for Act 5, tossing out 6-star signature stones, rank-up gems, and even some 7-star shards bait to anyone finishing them within a 90-day window. It was a smooth move—proof they’ve got the tech and the will to juice up rewards when it suits them. Fast forward to today, and endgame content like Act 8 and 9 ? Crickets. No meaningful updates, no 7-star shards to match the meta where Titans reign supreme. If they can overhaul Acts 4 and 5 that easily, why not Act 7 or 8? The answer’s pretty clear when you peek at Kabam’s financials—they’re raking it in, and stagnation at the top keeps the money flowing.
Rewind to 2015, when Kabam’s CEO Kevin Chou bragged at ChinaJoy that MCOC hit $100 million in revenue in just seven months—faster than any title they’d ever dropped. By year’s end, the company clocked $400 million, per *VentureBeat*. Fast forward to 2021, and a Reddit thread citing Sensor Tower pegged MCOC AT $21 MILLION FOR DECEMBER ALONE. More recently, Netmarble’s 2023 Q4 financials (Kabam’s parent company since 2017) show MCOC accounted for 12% of $498.7 million USD in revenue—roughly $59.8 million in three months. Even with a reported $146.2 million loss year-over-year, that’s still a hefty chunk of change from one game. Kabam knows how to cash in when the hype’s right. They’re not hurting for dough—so why skimp on endgame rewards?
The playbook’s simple. MCOC’s freemium model thrives on in-app purchases—crystals, revives, rank-up packs. Newer players get a boost from buffed early acts, racing them to mid-tier status where spending kicks in. But for endgame players who’ve sunk years (and often hundreds) into maxed-out rosters, Kabam’s holding back. Act 8 exploration still coughs up 6-star shards and a few gems—decent, but outpaced by the 7-star era. Meanwhile, temporary events like Battlegrounds or side quests dangle better loot, nudging you to burn energy refills or boosts that, surprise, cost units. Units you can grind—or just buy. It’s a grind-or-pay loop, and the lack of permanent endgame upgrades screams intent.
Players are catching on. Reddit’s r/ContestOfChampions is a griping goldmine—veterans lamenting stagnant Arena payouts, an “energy crisis” choking progress, and Kabam’s line that “Paragons don’t need” the Act 5 rework loot (spoiler: they do, for iso and dupes). Forums like playcontestofchampions.com echo the vibe: the 2024 Act 9, Chapter 1 drop was solid but not game-changing, and relics—new since older content was cleared—aren’t retroactively added. Instead, Kabam floods the store with crystal bundles and “limited-time” offers, tailor-made for whales dropping serious cash. In 2023, they laid off 12% of staff (*Game Developer*), citing “financial flexibility”—yet MCOC’s revenue keeps humming. They’ve got the resources; they’re just not spending them on *you*.
Kabam’s not oblivious—they’re strategic. Buffing early content hooks new spenders, but leaving endgame rewards lean keeps veterans chasing the next purchase. With $59.8 million in a single quarter, they don’t *need* to pamper their base—they’ve got the profits to prove it. For a game hitting its 10th anniversary in 2024, it’s a bold flex: prioritize the bottom line over the players who got them here. So next time you’re grinding Act 8 or eyeing that $50 bundle, ask yourself—am I playing the game, or is Kabam playing me?
March 30, 2025
If you’ve been duking it out in *Marvel Contest of Champions* (MCOC) for a while—say, since the days when a 6-star champ was a rare flex—you’ve probably noticed something off lately. Kabam, the studio behind this decade-old mobile brawler, seems to have a knack for keeping its most dedicated players, the Paragon and Valiant-tier veterans, on a treadmill that’s suspiciously light on rewards. Meanwhile, newer players are getting showered with goodies in revamped lower-tier content like Acts 4 and 5. Meanwhile Paragon and Valiant players are struggling to collect T6 Class Catalyst.
It’s starting to feel less like a game and more like a cash grab—and the numbers back up the hunch that Kabam’s milking its loyal base on purpose.
Let’s start with the evidence in-game. Back in 2023 Kabam rolled out a hefty rewards buff for Act 4 and And recently for Act 5, tossing out 6-star signature stones, rank-up gems, and even some 7-star shards bait to anyone finishing them within a 90-day window. It was a smooth move—proof they’ve got the tech and the will to juice up rewards when it suits them. Fast forward to today, and endgame content like Act 8 and 9 ? Crickets. No meaningful updates, no 7-star shards to match the meta where Titans reign supreme. If they can overhaul Acts 4 and 5 that easily, why not Act 7 or 8? The answer’s pretty clear when you peek at Kabam’s financials—they’re raking it in, and stagnation at the top keeps the money flowing.
Rewind to 2015, when Kabam’s CEO Kevin Chou bragged at ChinaJoy that MCOC hit $100 million in revenue in just seven months—faster than any title they’d ever dropped. By year’s end, the company clocked $400 million, per *VentureBeat*. Fast forward to 2021, and a Reddit thread citing Sensor Tower pegged MCOC AT $21 MILLION FOR DECEMBER ALONE. More recently, Netmarble’s 2023 Q4 financials (Kabam’s parent company since 2017) show MCOC accounted for 12% of $498.7 million USD in revenue—roughly $59.8 million in three months. Even with a reported $146.2 million loss year-over-year, that’s still a hefty chunk of change from one game. Kabam knows how to cash in when the hype’s right. They’re not hurting for dough—so why skimp on endgame rewards?
The playbook’s simple. MCOC’s freemium model thrives on in-app purchases—crystals, revives, rank-up packs. Newer players get a boost from buffed early acts, racing them to mid-tier status where spending kicks in. But for endgame players who’ve sunk years (and often hundreds) into maxed-out rosters, Kabam’s holding back. Act 8 exploration still coughs up 6-star shards and a few gems—decent, but outpaced by the 7-star era. Meanwhile, temporary events like Battlegrounds or side quests dangle better loot, nudging you to burn energy refills or boosts that, surprise, cost units. Units you can grind—or just buy. It’s a grind-or-pay loop, and the lack of permanent endgame upgrades screams intent.
Players are catching on. Reddit’s r/ContestOfChampions is a griping goldmine—veterans lamenting stagnant Arena payouts, an “energy crisis” choking progress, and Kabam’s line that “Paragons don’t need” the Act 5 rework loot (spoiler: they do, for iso and dupes). Forums like playcontestofchampions.com echo the vibe: the 2024 Act 9, Chapter 1 drop was solid but not game-changing, and relics—new since older content was cleared—aren’t retroactively added. Instead, Kabam floods the store with crystal bundles and “limited-time” offers, tailor-made for whales dropping serious cash. In 2023, they laid off 12% of staff (*Game Developer*), citing “financial flexibility”—yet MCOC’s revenue keeps humming. They’ve got the resources; they’re just not spending them on *you*.
Kabam’s not oblivious—they’re strategic. Buffing early content hooks new spenders, but leaving endgame rewards lean keeps veterans chasing the next purchase. With $59.8 million in a single quarter, they don’t *need* to pamper their base—they’ve got the profits to prove it. For a game hitting its 10th anniversary in 2024, it’s a bold flex: prioritize the bottom line over the players who got them here. So next time you’re grinding Act 8 or eyeing that $50 bundle, ask yourself—am I playing the game, or is Kabam playing me?
5
Comments
You said a lot of stuff that are irrevelant, though. Don't mind the lower tiers, of course Kabam will let them catch up a little. The Act 5 rewards are good but if you're a Paragon or Valiant, you'll get those in a few days. Right now, it's dry, but drooping on the Act 5 rewards ain't it.