Only up! update makes game less maddening. But why are users protesting? 

SCKR Games released the latest update for Only Up! on June 15. The update includes adjustments of the core controls of the game which, in effect, lowers the difficulty level of the game. Even though the touchy controls were making the game frustratingly tricky, a portion of users are surprisingly not excited about the update. The reason for this seems to lie in the fun of suffering and watching others do as well. 

Only Up! is a 3D action game available for PC (Steam), in which the player plays as the teenager Jackie, who lives in the ghetto and aims to climb up above the clouds.  

The gameplay involves using platforms or other structures to climb up as high as possible. That’s all. However, advancing in the game is tricky as moving along the narrow footings requires careful maneuvering, and falling down means having to climb all over again from where you landed. Since its release, this game has exploded in popularity, becoming the favorite game of streamers in particular. Many popular Japanese streamers have been playing Only Up!, contributing to its popularity. 

The June 15 update includes significant adjustments to the controls. The biggest change is that mid-fall controls have become easier. As mentioned above, after falling in this game, you have to start climbing up again from where you landed, so where you manage to land is crucial for progressing in the game. The update apparently makes mid-fall controls 30% easier than before, so the severity of falls is expected to decrease. The ability of the character to grab onto objects has also been increased by 20%. 

Additionally, pressing the C key will now allow you to toggle first-person perspective mode. The first-person mode may or may not be helpful when clearing tricky spots. Other camera-related settings include centering (number 1 key) and shifting (number 2 key) the camera. 

The contents of the update mentioned up till now are sure to make playing more comfortable, falling less traumatic and re-climbing less grueling, so users naturally welcomed the news, gaining confidence to re-challenge (or newly challenge) the game. However, a significant portion of players were not happy at all with the idea of the game becoming easier, claiming that the frustrating difficulty is what made the game fun in the first place. 

Another strong argument cited by users was that the game becoming easier will take away the fun of watching streamers suffer when they fall and all their effort goes to naught. Apparently, too difficult is the perfect difficulty to enjoy watching a stream. 

The update also resulted in people expressing new-found admiration for the tenacious individuals who cleared Only Up! when it was at its hardest. 

 
Only Up! is available for PC (Steam).