Quake Champions has left free-to-play behind. With the 1.31 update on September 23, 2026, the arena shooter switched to a one-time purchase on Steam, stripped out its entire microtransaction economy, and unlocked nearly all of its content for everyone who owns it. The Microsoft Store version has been retired, leaving Steam as the only place to play.
Quick answer: New players buy Quake Champions for $9.99 on Steam. Anyone who played it before September 23, 2026 keeps it for free, with all Champions and most cosmetics unlocked.
What the 1.31 update changes
One purchase grants access to material from all 30 earlier seasons. It unlocks every Champion and lets players use nearly any weapon skin, costume, or other cosmetic at no extra cost. The paid monetization systems from the free version have been removed.
| Removed | Now included |
|---|---|
| Battle Pass | All Champions unlocked |
| Store, Platinum and Shard currencies | Most weapon skins and costumes |
| Loot boxes | Profile icons, nameplates, podiums |
| Daily login rewards, weekly/event challenges | Existing progression and stats intact |
The patch also brings gameplay and quality-of-life work alongside the business-model shift, including a callvote system to kick cheaters or abusive players, new weapon accuracy HUD options, an adaptive FPS stabilizer, bot improvements, and a raised level cap of 999. Full details are listed in the 1.31 release notes.
Steam players: automatic free upgrade
If you played Quake Champions on Steam before September 23, 2026, the paid version already appears in your Steam library at no extra cost. You keep full access to the game and gain any Champions and cosmetics you had not previously unlocked. New players who want in can buy it from the Steam store page.
Microsoft Store players: how to claim it on Steam for free
The Microsoft Store version is gone, but anyone who played there before September 23, 2026 can move to the Steam version without paying. How you claim it depends on whether your accounts were already linked.
The self-serve linking service runs from September 23 through October 7, 2026. After that, access is handled only through customer support.
You will know it worked when Quake Champions shows up in your Steam library and launches without a purchase prompt.
Platinum refunds for recent purchases
Virtual currencies are gone from the game, so Platinum and Shards no longer exist in your account. If you bought a Platinum pack within the 60 days before September 23, 2026, you are getting a full refund, expected within 5 to 7 business days. Purchases made in Japanese yen qualify for refunds going back six months, in line with local law.
What carries over
With the Bethesda.net account you previously used, your player profile carries over. Progress, skill statistics, and competitive rankings are preserved whether you played through Steam or the Microsoft Store, so you can continue leveling Champions and playing online as usual.
Cosmetics that stay locked
Not everything is handed out. Certain promotional and merit-based items remain exclusive to the people who already own them, and they stay hidden from the customization list otherwise. These include third-party rewards such as AMD Ruby Nyx, the Twitch Rocket Launcher, and the Nvidia Pulsar Railgun, along with earned items like QuakeCon Belts and Golden Crowns.
Golden Crowns can still be earned the hard way as a ranked reward for reaching Elite Rank, and they stay hidden until you unlock them.
Image credit: Bethesda Softworks
Is the game shutting down?
No. Quake Champions stays online and playable. The 1.31 update does end the seasonal content model after 30 seasons, and no further content updates are planned right now, though a return to updates has not been ruled out. For a shooter that spent years leaning on free-to-play monetization, the shift to a flat $9.99 buy-in is the notable turn, converting all that accumulated content into one purchase while long-time players keep everything they already earned.
