The free-to-play alternative to Blizzard’s hit Overwatch is doing alright for itself.
Hi-Rez Studios announced that its team-based shooter Paladins has reached 4 million players. It’s available in an open beta on PC via Steam. That’s a good start for Paladins, which became playable on September 16. The publisher has said that the shooter will also come to consoles, although it has not given a date.
By comparison, Overwatch has over 20 million players since it launched in May for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. While those games look similar (some would say dubiously so), it’s not a totally fair comparison since Paladins is free while Blizzard’s Overwatch costs at least $40.
“The worldwide response to Paladins has been incredible,” said Todd Harris, chief operating officer of Hi-Rez Studios, said in a press release sent to GamesBeat. “It has been thrilling to see the game grow week-over-week since the Steam Open Beta began in mid-September, as well as to hear all of the player feedback, which we are constantly using to improve the game.”
Hi-Rez also developed the hit free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena Smite.