‘Evolve’ Morphs Towards Free-to-Play Model As Devs Respond To Game’s Critical Flaws

It's always unfortunate to see a really hyped game experience major issues upon its release. It sucks not just for those who purchased the game, but for the developers who put thousands of development hours into it. Unfortunately, this is the reality that Evolve developer Turtle Rock Studios experienced first-hand last year.

While Evolve was well-received overall, it had a couple of niggles that prevented long-term support. Some didn't care much for the map design, and many didn't like the company's DLC plans. With all issues combined, Evolve didn't experience the kind of success that the industry at large expected.

But, that's the reason second chances exist, right? It was rumored a couple of days ago that Evolve's devs would be refreshing the game by making it free-to-play, while rolling out a mammoth overhaul at the same time. As it happens, that's proven 100% correct. On its blog, Turtle Rock Studios shows no ignorance, and offers only assurances of making sure that Evolve's future is bright.

Then, when Evolve launched, the reception wasn’t what we expected. Sure, there were some good reviews. There were also bad reviews. Yes, there was excitement. There was also disappointment – for players and for us. The DLC shitstorm hit full force and washed away people’s enthusiasm, dragging us further and further from that first magical pick-up-and-play experience.

The fix? For starters, fulfilling long-standing requests from the game's fans. Some of what's going to be changed includes an overhauling of the Hunter class, improvements to maps, the UI, and even performance, reworking the progression system, and an adding of many more customization options.

We know what you're thinking: "What about those that purchased Evolve and its season pass?" Turtle Rock doesn't want you guys to feel ripped off, so to start, loyalists will receive a "Founder" status in the game, and going forward, the company will have some specific goodies for you: "We will show our appreciation for our committed fans and early adopters with gifts, rewards, and special access."

If you bought Evolve or avoided it due to its issues, you might want to give it another go, as it's free right now to download on Steam (console platforms come later). Currently, the game is considered a beta due to all of the changes made, and there may be issues. However, the developer wants there to be issues because the best way to relaunch the game "officially" is to make sure it's as bug-free as possible. Sounds good to us!