Daybreak Game Company, the developer and publisher of the game "H1Z1," announced that the fast-paced battle royale-style shooter game is now free-to-play on Steam.
Polygon reported that the game was converted not long after it launched out of Steam Early Access on Feb. 28. Daybreak's general manager Anthony Castoro said that players who have purchased the Early Access game for $19.99 may request a Steam refund which will be granted provided the players follow Steam's refund rules — players must have made the purchase for "H1Z1" for no more than 14 days and that they should not have more than two hours worth of gameplay. For players who failed to pass the requirements needed for the refund, Daybreak will be giving these players a package of skins and other in-game items with values that range from $30 to $50.
Polygon noted that the announcement was made following a decline in the number of concurrent players of the game on Steam. However, Castoro said that the number of concurrent users is not the only the standard of measurement they use to gauge the success of the game. He said that they are building up the game's eSports league, announcing that they already have the 15-team for the first match of the first season of "H1Z1" Pro League happening on Apr. 21 at Caesar's Entertainment Studios in Las Vegas. All participants will be receiving free accommodations for the entire duration of the season as well as a league minimum salary estimated to be around $50,000.
According to the Steam page of the game, "H1Z1" is a fast-paced battle royale-style shooter. Players can either go solo or with a group of two to five. Players are tasked to escape the toxic gas that envelops the map and destroy other vehicles by means of shooting with unique "H1Z1" weapons like Light Machine Guns and Explosive Arrows, dropping landmines and setting traps.
