Quake Champions drops free-to-play and goes Steam-exclusive

Quake Champions has traded its free-to-play model for a paid, Steam-only release. The new version costs $9.99 in the US and £8.99 in the UK, Eurogamer reports, while the Microsoft Store edition has been retired.

The price change does not make existing players buy the game again. In its 1.31 update FAQ, id Software says anyone who previously played on Steam was upgraded to the paid version at no charge. Their profile, ranking and progression remain available when they continue with the same Bethesda.net account.

Microsoft Store players have a more involved route. Those who played before September 23 can receive the Steam version by linking the Bethesda.net account they used for Quake Champions to Steam. id says access can take up to 48 hours to arrive and that its automated linking service runs through October 7. Players who miss that window can ask Bethesda Support to review a request, but the FAQ describes those later grants as case-by-case.

One purchase replaces the in-game economy

The paid release opens every Champion without another charge and makes previously purchasable weapon skins and costumes available through the customization menu. Platinum and Shards have been removed, along with the battle pass, store, loot boxes, login rewards and other microtransactions.