Eight years after it first blasted onto PC, id Software’s arena shooter Quake Champions is making one of the strangest pivots we’ve seen in a while: it’s dropping its free-to-play model and becoming a paid game. And if that wasn’t surprising enough, the Microsoft-owned studio is also killing off the game’s Microsoft Store version, leaving Steam as the only place to grab it.
Free-to-Play No More
Since its debut, Quake Champions has been accessible without spending a dime, with optional purchases unlocking the full roster of Champions. That era is now over. The classic arena FPS is transitioning into a traditional paid product — a reversal that almost never happens in today’s gaming landscape.
A Move Against the Grain
Think about the industry’s biggest trends of the past decade: Overwatch 2, Fall Guys, Rocket League, Halo Infinite’s multiplayer — huge titles have consistently moved toward free-to-play to grow their player bases and monetize through battle passes and cosmetics. Quake Champions is now swimming hard against that current. Going paid after eight years on the market is genuinely rare, and it inevitably raises questions about the game’s long-term future.
Microsoft Store Version Gets the Axe
Alongside the monetization shake-up, id Software is pulling Quake Champions from the Microsoft Store entirely. That means:
- The Microsoft Store edition is being retired
- Steam is now the sole platform selling the game
- Players who want in on the action will need a Steam account
For a game sitting under the Microsoft umbrella — following the tech giant’s acquisition of Bethesda and id Software — removing your own storefront version and consolidating on Valve’s platform is a curious decision. It suggests Microsoft is streamlining rather than investing, which aligns with the low-key, maintenance-mode status Quake Champions has held for some time.
A Look Back at Quake Champions’ Bumpy Road
Quake Champions launched into Early Access back in 2017 as id Software’s attempt to revive its legendary arena shooter franchise for a modern audience. It blended the fast, skill-driven gunplay the Quake series is famous for with hero-shooter mechanics — distinct Champions with unique abilities.
The game never quite captured mainstream momentum, though. A dedicated competitive community kept it alive, but updates slowed to a crawl as id Software shifted focus to blockbuster projects like the modern Doom series. Notably, Quake Champions never officially left Early Access in all these years — a detail that tells its own story about the project’s trajectory.
What This Means for Players
Existing Players
If you already own or play Quake Champions, the core game experience remains intact for now. However, Microsoft Store players in particular will want to pay attention to announcements about their version’s sunset and what support looks like going forward.
New Players
Anyone jumping in fresh will now need to purchase the game on Steam. If your Steam Wallet needs a top-up before you dive into some rocket-jumping nostalgia, you can grab Steam Wallet gift cards at TURGAME.com — a quick and easy way to fund your next arena shooter session.
The Bottom Line
Quake Champions shedding free-to-play and going Steam-only after eight years feels less like a bold new strategy and more like quiet housekeeping — a tidying up of a legacy title as its developer looks elsewhere. Still, for a game with such a storied name attached, it marks the end of an era. Whether this is the final chapter for Quake Champions or simply a stepping stone toward an eventual full-fledged Quake revival remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the days of fragging for free are officially over.
Source: Eurogamer