Battle Royale Game Darwin Project Is Now Free To Play On Steam

The Darwin Project, a battle royale game first revealed during last year's E3, has been part of Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview for a little while. However, due to the a lack of players, the game is now free-to-play on Steam.

“We’ve said from the start that we’re committed to creating a fresh and exciting experience for Darwin Project players and viewers," Creative Director Simon Darveau said via Steam. The team has added several features, including spectator interactions, but the player count still isn't where they'd like it to be. "Lately, members of our community have reported longer queue times and difficulty finding matches in lesser populated servers," Darveau said. "To bring in new players and maintain a level of activity that ensures players are able to get the most of out Darwin Project, we’ve decided to make it more accessible by removing the price tag.

While the change to free-to-play could bring in an influx of new players, those who've bought the game on Steam already won't be left out in the cold. They get a "Founder’s Pack containing 2 Legendary sets, 3 Legendary Axes, 3 Legendary Bows, a full jumpsuit collection, and 5 Fan Gifts," which will be added to buyers' inventory on Tuesday, April 24.

Good news for Steam, of course, but Xbox players must still purchase the game as of now. Speaking with IGN about whether the game might go free on consoles, the team said "We'll have more to share about Darwin Project on Xbox One soon."

Finally, the team has stated it will never charge for items that could give players a competitive advantage, evening the playing field for free-to-players and those with disposable income.

[Source: Scavengers Studio on Steam]

 

Our Take
Darwin Project has felt like a me-too title for a little while now, but it's always sad to see a multiplayer game not get off the ground the way the developers would like. There's still a chance Darwin Project might survive after this change, though, so hopefully it picks up some momentum.