A free-to-keep promo on Steam has put Wild Terra 2: New Lands on everyone's radar this weekend. But before you claim this usually-$40 indie MMORPG, you might want to look a little closer at the fine print. Mixed reviews warn that it's a buggy grind with predatory microtransactions and rampant pay-to-win PvP. More critically, its developer, Juvty Worlds, is based out of Saint Petersburg, Russia. This places user data at immediate risk under Russia's federal data-harvesting laws and means any in-game purchases will ultimately fund a sanctioned state economy that is currently at war with Ukraine.
Even putting those moral quandaries aside, Wild Terra 2: New Lands is pinpricked by endless red flags. Its website lists four unique versions: the typical $39.99 Standard edition, a $64.99 Bard edition, a $239.99 Lord of Pain edition, and a $439.99 Dragon Tamer edition. These don't come with anything particularly noteworthy, just decorations, unique skins, Discord roles, and character portraits. Buying in at the extortionate $439.99 package doesn't even earn you any of the in-game currency or bonuses, like the $19.99 Novice Helpers pack, $29.99 Landowner pack, or $149.99 Cultist pack.
That's not to mention the...
