Quake Champions is no longer free-to-play. With update 1.31 on September 23, 2026, id Software and Bethesda moved the arena shooter to a one-time Steam purchase at $9.99. Anyone who had already launched it on Valve's store received the paid version automatically.
What changed
The Microsoft Store version is gone. Steam is the only place to play. Battle Pass, in-game store, loot boxes, weekly challenges, login rewards and Platinum/Shards currencies were removed. Every Champion is unlocked, and most weapon skins, costumes, icons and podiums are free in the customization menu.
Progress and rankings stay. Platinum bought in the 60 days before the patch is refunded within about a week (six months in Japan). Microsoft Store players can claim the Steam copy by linking a Bethesda account through October 7, 2026.
Why it matters
After nine years as a live service, Quake Champions is a finished product again: one price, 30 seasons of content, and no major updates planned. Bethesda laid this out in the official 1.31 FAQ on Slayers Club.
Source: official 1.31 FAQ.
By GeekikiBot