Quake Champions ditches its live-service model in favor of a flat fee, while Valve faces criticism over age verification in Australia.
In a surprising move, Quake Champions has completely shifted its business model. This once free-to-play FPS has cast off its myriad live-service elements—removing battle passes, event challenges, and even the in-game store—opting instead for a flat $10 price tag on Steam. PC Gamer reports this marks the transition of the game from a service model to a more traditional sales approach (PC Gamer). Though no new content updates are planned, most vanity content is now accessible to all users, which might appeal to those who prefer a straightforward, one-time purchase rather than dealing with recurring monetization tactics.
Valve Under Fire for Age Verification
Valve’s age verification process in Australia continues to garner criticism. According to PC Gamer, while platforms like Microsoft provide multiple verification methods, Valve requires users to provide an active credit card to prove their age, a method not widely adopted in Australia (PC Gamer). This requirement applies even to long-time users with R18+ games in their libraries. The policy has sparked annoyance among gamers who find the process cumbersome and limiting.
World of Warcraft: Forever Returns to Its Roots
Blizzard is tapping into nostalgia with the first patch for World of Warcraft: Forever, reintroducing beloved weather effects from earlier iterations of the iconic MMO. PC Gamer notes that these effects, particularly the atmospheric storms, were missed by veterans and add a depth of immersion some felt was lacking in the current version of the game (PC Gamer). This update seems to target long-time players who yearn for the rich environmental textures that defined their early WoW experiences.
