id Software has published the official Quake Champions 1.31 Point Release FAQ, confirming that as of September 23, 2026, the game has dropped its free-to-play model in favour of a paid app sold exclusively on Steam. Anyone who previously played the free version remains eligible to keep playing at no additional cost, provided they follow the platform's official access process.
Players who already used Steam don't need to do anything, since their libraries were upgraded automatically. Microsoft Store players face more legwork: if their Bethesda.net account is already linked to Steam, access should arrive within 48 hours, while unlinked accounts need to be connected through Bethesda's linking page during a window running from September 23 through October 7, 2026. Requests missed after that date go to Bethesda Customer Support for case-by-case review.
Progression carries over for anyone using the same Bethesda.net account, but the in-game economy has been gutted. Platinum and Shards no longer exist, with everything they used to unlock now sitting in the Customization menu. Bethesda is refunding Platinum purchased in the 60 days before the cutoff, extended to six months for Japanese yen purchases under local law.
As id Software put it in the FAQ: "Quake Champions has moved to a paid ownership model available on Steam."
