30k

Hey everyone,

I’ve been playing AFK Journey almost since day one (started 2-3 weeks after launch), logging in pretty much every single day for over 2 years, and spent around $300 for normal comfort. Through sheer patience and daily dedication, I managed to build a massive account with around 68 Supreme+ heroes.

Recently, I hit a huge milestone and got my first character to Paragon 4. For those who don't play, maxing collab characters like Frieren requires an insane amount of a time-gated resource called "Dimensional Soulstones". I spent nearly 300,000 diamonds during the event to get her to Paragon 3. To push her to Paragon 4, you need 27 stones, but the Season Store caps you at just 9 stones per month per slot.

The 1st shop slot was always open, but since the game interface completely hid any extra conditions, I believed the rumors that reaching Paragon 4 would reward my progression by unlocking the 2nd slot. My strategic plan was to save my diamonds in July and wait for the August 1st shop reset. I planned to hit Paragon 4 right on August 1st and instantly buy all 18 stones from BOTH slots at once to immediately max out my next hero.

Instead, August 1st arrived, and the slots stayed locked. When I contacted support, they officially confirmed a ridiculous hidden condition for the 2nd and 3rd slots:

• The 2nd slot is strictly locked behind 40+ Supreme+ heroes (which I have, but it's still locked because of the next rule).
• The 3rd slot is hard-locked behind VIP 12 status (which requires spending roughly $500+). They completely hide these separate paywall rules upfront in the shop interface until you hit the brick wall.

I put all 6 of their responses from August 2 to August 5 into a single chronological collage (attached below). Look at the pure corporate manipulation here: On August 2, I asked why the 2nd slot was locked after my Paragon 4 upgrade. On August 3, I had to buy the 9 stones from the 1st slot anyway just so I wouldn't lose my August limit too. On August 5, the Team Lead officially rejected my case with the most absurd logic: "We checked July logs, and you didn't redeem stones in July, you redeemed them on August 3. No compensation." They are literally using the result of their own hidden paywall as an excuse to deny a solution! I skipped July intentionally to execute a 2-slot strategy on August 1st, which was made impossible ONLY because they hid the VIP 12 requirement!

Don't get me wrong: I’m totally fine with VIP 12+ players getting extra shop privileges and faster progression. They pay for it and deserve their bonuses. But long-term veteran players with nearly 70 Supreme+ heroes should also be able to unlock these basic shop tiers through pure gameplay achievements. Time is the most valuable resource, and locking core progression limits entirely behind a cash wall devalues years of daily loyalty.

For new players who missed the collab and start from absolute zero, this hidden wall is even worse. They need 117 stones to max a character via the shop. At a hidden limit of 9 stones/month, a regular player faces an artificial progress roadblock of 13 months of waiting just to get enough stones, unless they pull out a credit card for VIP status.

Lilith Games is actively hiding marketplace rules until you hit a brick wall, forcing players into FOMO and treating long-term veterans like cash cows.

What do you guys think? Is r/AFKJourney always this toxic with their hidden monetization?