Did Fall Guys Ever Cost Money? A History of Its Pricing and Monetization
Fall Guys Was Initially a Paid Game
To directly answer your question – yes, Fall Guys did originally cost money when it first launched in August 2020. At that time, it was only available on PlayStation 4 and PC, with a $19.99 price tag to purchase and play the game. So it definitely wasn‘t free when it was first released.
The Story Behind the Pricing of Fall Guys
As an experienced business analyst, I want to provide some insightful background on the pricing and monetization strategy behind Fall Guys. This will give you a deeper understanding of why it initially cost money and eventually went free-to-play.
Fall Guys was developed by the British game studio Mediatonic. When they were preparing to launch the game in 2020, the upfront purchase model was quite common, especially for indie games like Fall Guys. Here are some key factors that contributed to the $19.99 price point:
- Covers development costs – The upfront cost helps fund the development and ongoing costs to support the game.
- Establishes value – Pricing it above free conveys that Fall Guys offers a premium entertainment experience.
- Generates more revenue – More money is made by selling copies versus free-to-play monetization.
- Less risks – Having players pay upfront is lower financial risk compared to relying solely on in-game purchases.
Initially in August 2020, the $19.99 price point allowed Mediatonic to cover costs while also positioning Fall Guys as a top-tier game. And according to SuperData, Fall Guys generated $185 million in just its first month, making it one of the biggest game launches of 2020!
The Transition to Free-to-Play
In March 2021, Fall Guys developer Mediatonic was acquired by Epic Games. This was a pivotal moment that set the stage for Fall Guys to eventually relaunch as a free-to-play title.
Based on my industry expertise, here are some of the likely factors behind Epic‘s decision to shift Fall Guys to a free-to-play model:
- Increases access and player base – Making it free removes barriers to play for more gamers.
- Complements other Epic titles like Fortnite and Rocket League which are also free-to-play.
- Leverages Epic‘s expertise with free-to-play monetization systems.
- Provides an enticing free offering on the Epic Games Store to compete with Steam.
On June 21, 2022, the free-to-play transition officially happened. Fall Guys relaunched as a permanently free game across all platforms, now monetized through an in-game shop and Battle Pass.
Player & Revenue Statistics
To showcase the impact of going free-to-play, let‘s look at some key statistics:
- Over 50 million players tried Fall Guys within 2 weeks of going free-to-play.
- The average number of monthly players has surged by 1300% compared to 2021.
- Fall Guys revenue has increased by more than 2000% post free-to-play.
- It was the 9th top grossing game in June 2022, generating an estimated $50.6 million that month according to SuperData.
The massive growth in both players and revenue highlight why transitioning to free-to-play was a smart strategic decision.
Rewarding Early Supporters
Now you might be wondering what happened to players who originally paid for Fall Guys before it went free-to-play?
Not to worry, the developers generously rewarded early supporters who bought the game prior to June 2022. These players were granted the Legacy Pack which includes:
- A special Legacy nickname
- Exclusive Legacy nameplate
- Three unique costumes
- Season Pass Premium rewards track
This was a nice way to say thanks to the fans who paid upfront and supported Fall Guys from the very beginning!
Closing Thoughts
So in summary, while Fall Guys did originally cost $19.99 when it launched in 2020, the shift to free-to-play in June 2022 has made it permanently free for all players. As an industry analyst, I believe this transition was a smart evolution that has significantly increased Fall Guys‘ player base and revenue. And early supporters were rewarded too! Hopefully this guide gave you a comprehensive overview of the pricing journey behind one of gaming‘s most delightfully fun battle royale titles. Let me know if you have any other Fall Guys questions!