Does Wolfenstein: Youngblood have too many microtransactions?

Update (July 29): Bethesda has explained that the discrepancies in items offered across different platforms — with differing currencies used to purchase those items — should have patched before launch, and has been done so now. We’ve checked both the PC and PS4 versions of the game, and the extra booster options have been removed, along with the option of paying for boosters with gold bars. The story below has been updated for accuracy.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood offers microtransactions so players can buy certain in-game items with real-world money. At launch, what you can buy with gold bars — the premium currency — is limited to cosmetic items that don’t impact the difficulty of the game.

Gold bars are only one of three in-game currencies. Here’s how the whole system works.

The cost of currency in Wolfenstein: Youngblood

There are three kinds of currency in Wolfenstein: Youngblood: silver coins, which are hidden around each level, Ability Points, which you receive whenever your character levels up, and gold bars, which you can purchase with real money. This is the current pricing for gold bars:

• 500 gold bars — $4.99
• 1,100 gold bars — $9.99
• 2,500 gold bars — $19.99

Using silver coins, gold bars, and Ability Points

Wolfenstein: Youngblood’s Ability Points are used to purchase new Abilities under the Character heading in the menus. Silver coins can be used to purchase power suit skins, power suit helmets, pep signals that give the sisters different buffs, boosters, weapon upgrades, and weapon skins.

The premium currency, gold bars, can only be used for cosmetic weapon skins, cosmetic power suit skins, and cosmetic power suit helmets.

You cannot upgrade your character abilities or weapon mods (like red dot sights or bigger magazines) using gold bars (the premium currency). You can purchase some (but not all) boosts with gold bars — at least on some platforms. (More on that below.)

MachineGames, Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks

MachineGames/Bethesda Softworks

So you can buy any cosmetic item with premium currency in Wolfenstein: Youngblood?

Not exactly.

Some cosmetic items, like the Venus Desert power suit skin, allows you to pay either 6,000 silver coins or 750 gold coins.

The most expensive cosmetic items are the MachineGames options, and those can’t be purchased with gold bars. The MachineGames power suit skin, for instance, costs 10,000 silver coins, but you can’t purchase it with gold bars. These options can only be purchased the old-fashioned way: By saving up your in-game currency.

MachineGames/Bethesda Softworks

Why is everyone so confused about this?

There is a lot of chatter about what you can and can’t buy with premium currency in Wolfenstein: Youngblood, but it’s partly publisher Bethesda’s fault. The listing for gold bars on Steam says the following:

Contains gold bars, an in-game currency used to acquire new power armor and weapon skins, gear, pep signals, and consumables to help you and your friends battle through Nazi occupied Paris.

That listing makes it sound like you can buy your way into a gameplay advantage, but gold bars can’t actually be used to purchase any items that will give you a concrete advantage.

What are the best ways to find silver coins in Wolfenstein: Youngblood?

Since you can only purchase weapon upgrades, boosters, and buffs using silver coins, you’re going to want to track down as much of the virtual currency as possible.

MachineGames/Bethesda Softworks

The best way to find silver coins is to be thorough, and search every nook and cranny of each area for loose coins, crates (particularly yellow ones), and doors that can be opened with certain weapons or abilities.

Make sure you unlock the Crush ability (which makes destroying crates easier), and find the Laserkraftwork, Dieselkraftwork, and Electrokraftwork weapons as quickly as possible so you can access more areas in each level to hunt for coins. Our Wolfenstein: Youngblood beginner’s guide build is a good place to get started.