Squad is a popular hardcore shooter on Steam that went without paid DLC for years. That should change from now on.
What game is it? Squad is a hardcore shooter from the indie developer Offworld Industries, which was released in Early Access on Steam in December 2015. Squad has been available as a full version since September 2020 and has so far managed without any paid DLCs. New content has been released for free so far, including the 3.0 Amphibious Assault update
In addition to hardcore elements, Squad aims to deliver an experience that is as realistic as possible and is therefore classified as a “military simulation”. In a match that can sometimes last several hours, players fight each other in large 50vs.50 battles.
The most important aspects that can help a team win in Squad are teamwork, communication, strategy and commitment. The latter is reflected in the fact that, depending on the task distribution of your team, you do not take part in gunfights at all, but are instead assigned to supplying the troops or defending a comparatively quiet region, for example.
What kind of paid DLC will appear? Offworld Industries, the developers of Squad, announced on January 18, 2023 that they would be making a change to the game’s monetization (via Steam). Accordingly, Squad 2023 should receive paid content for the first time.
Starting off are two packs containing emotes that will be sold through the game’s Steam page.
In the official announcement that from now on emotes will be offered for a fee, the developers also refer to an earlier statement by the studio, which said that they “never” want to release paid DLCs:
After years of releasing free updates to Squad, this is our first foray into monetizing Squad beyond the initial purchase. We know that paid content in games can be controversial and that previous Offworld leadership had stated that Squad would never be expanded with paid DLC. Because of this, we wanted to let you know about this change before we release v4.2 early.
Offworld Industries, the development studio behind Squad, via Steam
What reasons do the developers give? The studio cites continued support for the game after 2023 as the reason for changing the monetization system.
The developers say they want to support the game beyond 2023 and provide updates. Accordingly, many of these updates will continue to be released free of charge, but the studio must find a way to finance this development.
Will Squad continue to have free updates? Yes, the developers say they want to fund their work through paid DLCs like emotes so they can keep releasing free updates.
However, it cannot be ruled out that players will have to pay for new maps or factions in the future. In a Q&A from Offworld Industries, the developers give the quite openly formulated answer:
“Our approach to the future of Squad is to [Squad] to be as comprehensive as possible. Creating maps and factions takes a lot of time and effort, and we want our entire community to enjoy the fruits of our hard work.”
How are the players reacting? Squad players are not very enthusiastic about the change on Steam and Reddit. Some suspect that emotes are just the beginning and worry that the military sim will soon be selling colorful skins. Others write that they think this is a joke and are disappointed.
But there are also a few squad fans who have no problem with the introduction of paid emotes. After all, they had many hours of fun with the game and understand that a live service game must be sustainable over 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.