War Thunder: Ground War beta pricing explained by Gaijin

War Thunder: Ground War is entering closed beta this month, and those uninvited to participate can pay their way into the testing phase, with fees starting at $49.99. We contacted Gaijin Entertainment regarding the matter, and the company has responded to clarify its stance.

You'll find my initial report on the costly War Thunder bundles here.

In an email I suggested that the news wasn't timed well, considering the backlash surrounding Forza Motorsport 5 and Gran Turismo 6 microtransactions.

They replied, "All this commotion about GT6 or Forza 5 micropayments comes from the fact that people payed a full price for these games and they have to grind in-game currency or spend the cash on top of that. And we can understand their frustration perfectly.

"On the other hand, our proposal isn't different from any other recent MMO. If you don't want to pay, no one is forcing you. You can earn the access to beta during special in-game activities or grab a beta-key during some giveaway on a popular website.

"Heck, the simplest solution is simply to wait until Open Beta starts and play the same content for free. ALTERNATIVELY, you can support your favorite game and purchase the closed beta access if you're so eager to try this early and patchy version. It's up to you."

On the nature of content being offered with paid beta access - exclusive tanks mostly - the rep added, "Another important thing - the tanks, decals and titles that are included in these packs are collector's items. Which means, once the open beta starts, there won't be any other way to get them in the game. So the prices reflect their limited edition status, and they are intended for the most dedicated fans of War Thunder who want this exclusive content.

"The access to [the closed beta] is a nice bonus here, not the main course. I also must stress that these tanks themselves aren't anything special and won't give you any gameplay advantages. Like all premium vehicles in War Thunder, for that matter."

What do you make of the above?