Squad is a popular hardcore shooter on Steam that has managed without paid DLCs for years. That is set to change from now on.
What game is it about? Squad is a hardcore shooter developed by the indie developer Offworld Industries, which was released in early access on Steam back in December 2015. Since September 2020, Squad has been available as a full version and has so far managed without paid DLCs. New content has been released for free, including the Update 3.0 Amphibious Assault.
Squad, alongside hardcore elements, aims to deliver a realistic experience and is therefore classified as a “military simulation.” In a match that can last several hours, players fight against each other in large 50vs.50 battles.
The key aspects that can help a team succeed in Squad are teamwork, communication, strategy, and engagement. The latter manifests in the fact that depending on your team’s task distribution, you might not participate in gunfights at all, but instead, for example, be assigned to supply troops or defend a relatively quiet region.
What kind of paid DLC is coming? Offworld Industries, the developers of Squad, announced on January 18, 2023, that they will be making a change to the monetization of the game (via Steam). Accordingly, Squad is set to receive paid content for the first time in 2023.
The first to come will be two packages containing emotes, which are to be sold through the Steam page of the game.
In the official announcement that emotes will now be offered for a fee, the developers also refer to an earlier statement from the studio, which said that they would “never” release paid DLCs:
After years of releasing free updates for Squad, this is our first attempt to monetize Squad beyond the initial purchase. We know that paid content in games can be controversial, and that the previous leadership of Offworld had stated that Squad would never be expanded with paid DLCs. For this reason, we wanted to inform you about this change before we release v4.2 early.
Offworld Industries, the studio behind Squad, via Steam
What reasons do the developers give? As a reason for the change in the monetization system, the studio cites the ongoing support for the game beyond 2023.
The developers state that they want to support and provide updates for the game beyond the year 2023. Accordingly, many of these updates are to be released for free, but the studio needs to find a way to finance this development.
Will there still be free updates for Squad? Yes, the developers say they want to finance their work through paid DLCs like emotes to continue releasing free updates.
However, it is not excluded that players will have to pay for new maps or factions in the future. In a Q&A with Offworld Industries, the developers give a rather open-formulated reply:
“Our approach for the future of Squad is to make it [Squad] as comprehensive as possible. The creation of maps and factions requires a lot of time and effort, and we want our entire community to enjoy the fruits of our hard work.”
How do the players react? Players of Squad show themselves on Steam and reddit rather unenthusiastic about the change. Some fear that emotes are just the beginning and are concerned that the military simulation will soon sell colorful skins. Others write that they consider it a joke and are disappointed.
There are, however, also a few Squad fans who have no problem with the introduction of paid emotes. After all, they have had many hours of fun with the game and understand that a live-service game must be financed in the long term and that this goes beyond the one-time purchase of the title.
2022 was a good year for Squad. The hardcore shooter breaks the player record after 7 years.
