In a world where mobile gaming has become a favorite pastime, Brawl Stars stands out as a vibrant, action-packed arena that invites players in with its free-to-play model. But as fans dive into the colorful chaos of brawling and strategy, many are discovering that the costs of in-game purchases can quickly add up, raising questions about the true price of fun. With its captivating gameplay and engaging community, is this popular title a gateway to endless enjoyment or just another costly pit stop in gaming? Brawl Stars has released a new character to the game! Kenji is the newest brawler’s name and there is a mixed bag of opinions on him. Kenji costs an exorbitant amount of money for a high school kid who is trying to save up for a car, college, and the rest of their life, and it affects the gameplay because of his crazy power level. 

The pick rate for the brawler Kenji when he could only be bought for $25 was 4.15%. A crazy stat for the only way to obtain Kenji being to pay $25. According to thereformedgamers.com, the amount of players Brawl Stars captivates to play actively is approximately 376 million. This means that approximately 15,600 people bought Kenji for $25. Freshman Wade Griffith responds to being asked if Kenji is too expensive, “No, he is the best one if you go against one, you just lose every single game.” Many students perceive that people buy Kenji because he is so meta. 

People who bought Kenji are very happy with this. Dane Ward, a freshman who bought Kenji, shares his thoughts, “He is pretty expensive but he’s good, he gets you trophies and he gets you them pretty fast.” 

Some students are more apprehensive with the price and power of the new brawler, “He is annoying…” was student Toby Morehouse’s first thoughts on Kenji. When asked what he thought Kenji was worth, Toby responded, “$5 maybe.” Kenji is affecting the gameplay of Brawl Stars and some people are fed up with the price, but some people are okay with waiting to get him.

 When interviewed, most people said that Kenji’s price should be $5-$10 to make sure students have enough money to save for other necessities like a car. One student claimed, “[Kenji doesn’t ruin student’s wallets] because you can just get him with credits when he comes out.” but another student says that some people can’t wait to get Kenji “because they enjoy the adrenaline and dopamine of destroying everyone they come across.”

Kenji’s release is a controversial topic, and students each have their own opinions on him, but the question fellow Brawlers need to ask themselves is: Is purchasing Kenji worth the cost?