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‘H1Z1’ Goes Back To Free-to-Play Model
In what some might think is an attempt to steal the thunder back from PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, developer Daybreak has announced that H1Z1, which had just come out of Early Access with a new “Auto Royale” mode, is now free to play.
For those who purchased the game in Early Access, fret not. Daybreak had the following to say:
“To thank all of our loyal players who helped make awesome, game-changing decisions during our time in Early Access, we’ll be rewarding everyone who already purchased the game with the “H1Z1 Appreciation Pack”.
The pack in question contains the following:
- Gasrunner Hoodie
- Bloom Survivor T-Shirt
- Splinter Camo ARV
- 10 Victory Crates
- 10,000 Skulls
In order to support the new model, however, Daybreak have instituted new purchasable DLC bundles, which can be bought for $20, $50, or $100 and which contain various skins, crates, and Skulls (the in-game currency).
Of course, in the words of Motörhead, it might be “too late, too late” for the game to get back those players who flocked to the game back when it was released back in 2015, as PUBG owns the battle royale crown at the moment. Time will tell, I suppose.
In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war, but it was a cheerful illustrator from England who helped to define the terrifying war-torn imagery that inspired what we now know as Grimdark (a hybrid genre combining horror with sci-fi/fantasy).
Unfortunately for fans of Warhammer 40,000, Trench Crusade and countless other sources of Grimdark thrills, veteran artist John Blanche passed away this week after struggling with health issues for the past few years.
While the artist retired back in 2023, he leaves us with an enormous legacy of iconic artwork that continues to inspire gamers and storytellers around the world to this very day.
The news is especially gloomy as it was only last year that Daniel Lowman and Napoleon Dynamite himself Jon Heder released The Grim & the Dark: The Search for John Blanche, a documentary following Heder’s exploration of the Grimdark genre culminating in a heartwarming encounter with Blanche in his own home.
Below is one of my favorite pieces by Blanche, his highly influential depiction of Warhammer 40k’s God-Emperor of Mankind on his Golden Throne.
We send our deepest condolences to John Blanche’s family, friends, and fans.
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