Quake Champions ditches free-to-play and kills off its Microsoft Store version eight years after its original release

Free-to-play shooter Quake Champions, developed by id Software, is undergoing a significant transformation eight years after its initial release. The game, which was initially available exclusively on the Microsoft Store for Xbox on PC, is now exclusively available on Steam as a paid product for £8.99/$9.99. This change includes all content from the 30 seasons released over the years, with all Champions (hero characters) unlocked for use and most cosmetic items available for all to equip.

However, this transition also signifies the end of ongoing development, as id Software has confirmed that no additional content updates are planned.

Quake Champions' new chapter begins with patch 1.31, which includes the removal of battle passes, the in-game store, paid currencies, loot boxes, login rewards, and all microtransactions. The user interface has been reorganized to remove various free-to-play tabs and sections, with character customization now more prominent on the main menu.

Purchasers who bought Platinum within 60 days before 23rd September will receive a refund. Additionally, Steam players who previously played Quake Champions will receive this updated, fully-featured version for free. The transition from the Microsoft Store/Xbox version to Steam is more challenging, and players who purchased before 23rd September and linked their Bethesda and Steam accounts will receive a Steam copy of Quake Champions within 48 hours.

For those who didn't link their accounts or didn't have a Steam account, they must create one and link their Bethesda and Steam accounts on the provided page to receive their Steam copy within 48 hours, but this can only be done until 7th October. Quake Champions, initially released in paid early access in 2017, was seen as a live-service experiment by id Software.

Despite numerous updates adding new characters, weapons, and vanity items inspired by id Software's history, the game never achieved the anticipated popularity. On Steam, the game peaked at 17,476 concurrent players when it first released, but it has recently been hovering around 600 daily players. The absence of a console release further limited its potential audience.