After nearly a decade as a free-to-play title, id Software's Quake Champions has transitioned to a premium release on Steam, removing its battle passes, loot boxes, and premium currencies. The developer has also eliminated the in-game store. Players who previously accessed the game through free events on Steam will automatically receive the full version. Those who purchased premium currency in the last two months are eligible for a refund.
This shift occurs in the wake of significant layoffs at Microsoft and its subsidiary ZeniMax Media, which impacted id Software, resulting in over 100 staff departures. The studio's owner is reportedly prioritizing its larger game franchises, leading to the discontinuation of projects like a potential Perfect Dark game and other new series. While remaining id Software employees express confidence in the studio's ability to continue developing new games, others have voiced concerns about the company's future direction.
The update also coincides with further layoffs at Xbox and studio consolidations. The development team has introduced a new Callvote System to allow players to address cheating and disruptive behavior. Additionally, network performance has been improved, though the reduction in data centers may lead to more populated servers at the potential cost of fewer regional options or slower performance for some players.
In an announcement regarding these changes, the Quake Champions team stated that "No additional content updates are planned at this time." This move to a premium model, while offering a path for the game to continue in some capacity, comes amid broader strategic shifts within Xbox, focusing on core franchises such as Minecraft, Halo, and Fallout.