Recently I've heard people complain about Three Rings and when they add energy packs, DLCs, promos, etc., saying they're "just doing it for the money" or "ruining the game" by doing this. There are many reasons (just to list a few) this isn't true and it would help our outlook on the game and its staff to understand where Three Rings is coming from. (I don't claim to represent OOO by saying any of this, but as a player like the rest of us it's not hard to see how much they selflessly do for us and spread the word!)

1. Spiral Knights is a FREE game. Everyone, so long as they are of 13 years of age or older (though that rule is hardly abided by; many players openly express their ages as being under thirteen) can play the game for as long as they want, and advance as far as they want, and do everything a paying player can do. Which leads me to #2,

2. Three Rings has done an excellent job at making energy (what you can buy with a credit card) available to non-paying players as well. With the energy market system, you can easily get energy from trading your crowns and have access to ALL of the energy content. I've found myself wondering why many other games haven't thought of this clever system, and from what I know Spiral Knights is the ONLY game that lets non-paying players have the same access to content that paying players have to the point where there is honestly no difference between the two.

3. Three Rings continues to make content all the more universal. As of the most recent updates, non-paying players can now have access to the DLC Operation Crimson Hammer. Whereas the DLC was previously available as a $5 expansion and therefore limited to paying players only, Three Rings has made it possible to buy the DLC with energy that can be acquired by trading with in-game currency.

4. Because the game is free, Three Rings must find some way to pay their employees, designers, GMs, etc. If you like this game, it's because Three Rings has made it so! And all of that costs money, and because they've kept it a FREE game there must be optional ways of raising it. If Three Rings made no money from Spiral Knights, they wouldn't be able to pay their designers and employees, advertise to larger audiences, or continue to bring exciting new updates to the game and the community they host. Think about it this way: The more money Three Rings gets from promos, sales, specials, and energy-deals the better and more exciting the game will get. It benefits the PLAYERS, because what does Three Rings spend that money on? Sometimes Kitkats, yes. But 9/10 times it'll be on designing new parts to the game and keeping the clockworks in proper maintenance.

I know this wasn't the most descriptive and well-written explanation, but I feel that players should want their game to be successful and to thrive. It pains me to see so many people take for granted and forget the considerations Three Rings has implemented to have the game universally available to all who wish to achieve greatness in Spiral Knights. I ask only if you see someone complain suggest to them how fair Three Rings has made this game, and how every dollar spent is a dollar earned for the community as a whole and for the players themselves.