Awesomenauts Is Going Free-To-Play On May 24th

Hyper Universe and several others might exist now, but Awesomenauts is largely regarded as the original side-scrolling MOBA. It's a largely successful game that still has a small, but dedicated audience, but there's one problem: it's a buy-to-play MOBA. In today's market, practically every MOBA out there is free-to-play, which makes sense, given that it's a genre that heavily relies on the existence of a healthy playerbase made up of players of all skill levels.

It's no surprise, then, that it was announced today that Awesomenauts will be going free-to-play on May 24th with the launch of Update 4.0. To reward existing players, anyone that played before today will be granted "Founder" status, which unlocks "an exclusive portrait and medal." Additionally, everyone who purchases the base game and both of its expansions by May 24th will be given the "All Nauts Pack," which ensures that they will have access to not only all current Awesomenauts, but also all future Awesomenauts, as well. Fortunately for those of you that haven't purchased the expansions yet, they will be discounted from now until the game goes free-to-play on May 24th.

With the launch of Update 4.0, several things will change. Players will be able to unlock "custom portraits, droppods, and medals." A new currency called Awesomepoints will be introduced; it will be used to unlock new Awesomenauts, Droppods, and Portraits. Medals will be "rewarded for achieving special feats."

Both Profiles and the Awesomenaut that you are playing as will earn experience separately at the end of each match. Awesomenauts will now unlock items first; profile levels will grant "Portraits, Awesomepoints, and other goodies."

It is also said that both matchmaking and networking will be improved in Update 4.0. These improvements are probably being made to support the influx of players that the team expects there to be when the game goes free-to-play.

In short, when it goes free-to-play, Awesomenauts will take on a business model much like that of other MOBAs, but will also be the same great game that a small, but dedicated audience continues to play today. The core difference is that you can tell your friends to play it and, when they ask if it's free, you can tell them "Yes. Yes, it is."

If you want to pick up Awesomenauts or its expansions before the free-to-play launch, you can do so via Steam.

Thanks to Sockrates for the tip.