Quake Champions ditches free-to-play and kills off its Microsoft Store version eight years after its original release
Quake Champions, id Software’s eight-year-old free-to-play competitive shooter, is transitioning to a premium model priced at $9.99 (£8.99) exclusively on Steam. The game’s Microsoft Store version is being discontinued as part of this shift. Patch 1.31 represents a turning point, with developer statements confirming that “no additional content updates are planned at this time.”
The paid version includes content from 30 seasons of live-service updates, with all playable Champions permanently unlocked for every player. Most cosmetic items are also freely available, eliminating the previous monetization structure that included battle passes and loot boxes. Premium currency has been removed entirely, and players who spent such currency within the past two months will receive refunds.
Existing Steam players who participated in previous free-to-play periods will automatically receive the paid version at no additional cost. The timing of this shift comes amid broader industry upheaval, following Microsoft and Bethesda’s announcement of significant layoffs at id Software as part of a larger wave affecting 3,200 developers across Xbox. While the transition simplifies Quake Champions’ model and removes divisive monetization mechanics, it signals the end of the studio’s commitment to actively developing the title.