After struggling with low player numbers, unique battle royale game Darwin Project has gone free-to-play on Steam, as announced by Scavengers Studio.
Citing long matchmaking for certain regions, Darwin Project will now be open to anyone to download on Steam; no mention of anything to do with the Xbox One Game Preview version just yet.
Simon Darveau, Creative Director on Darwin Project, said the following on the decision:
“We’ve said from the start that we’re committed to creating a fresh and exciting experience for Darwin Project players and viewers. With features like the Show Director who serves as a master of ceremonies, Spectator Interactions that let viewers directly interact with streams, and an emphasis on tracking that ensures players are always within arm’s reach of a tense confrontation, we still believe Darwin Project offers a quality experience unlike any other battle royale game out there.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a core community of players join us at a very early stage, with many still supporting us during Early Access, and the last thing we want to do is let those passionate players down. Lately, members of our community have reported longer queue times and difficulty finding matches in lesser populated servers. To bring in new players and maintain a level of activity that ensures players are able to get the most out of Darwin Project, we’ve decided to make it more accessible by removing the price tag.
“We’re aware that it’s a big change, and we want to reiterate that we’re remaining true to Darwin Project’s vision as we move forward.”
It’s certainly a big change for such a young game; Darwin Project only dropped in Early Access a couple of months ago. While the playerbase it had wasn’t bad by any means, it was always going to be a struggle to catch up with Fortnite and PUBG.
To, basically, ensure they still make money, Scavengers Studio will be adding over 200 cosmetic items that players on April 24th. If you already owned Darwin Project prior to it becoming free, you will get the Fouunder’s Pack containing 2 Legendary sets, 3 Legendary Axes, 3 Legendary Bows, a full jumpsuit collection, and 5 Fan Gifts.
Darwin Project is certainly one of the most interesting spins on the battle royale genre, though it’s more for “niche” tastes than compared to its two biggest rivals. The scale is far smaller, which may put off some, but the integration of a player who effectively oversees the action with the ability to influence the outcome in the form of The Director is an interesting and fun twist.
Here’s hoping this gamble pays off for them. Check out what we thought of it in our early impressions.
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