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Brink Becomes Free on Steam Six Years After Release

It is simply free.

Brink, world first

Brink, the 2011 multiplayer first-person shooter developed by Splash Damage and published by Bethesda Softworks, is now free to download and play for Steam on PC.

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Unlike other games that have transitioned from a paid or subscription model to free-to-play with optional microtransactions, Brink is simply free according to this extremely brief Steam news release. The game’s Agent of Change DLC, which offers new maps and a raised level cap, can still be bought and currently has a 40% discount. The two combo packs with more customization options can also be purchased.

Brink is only free on Steam, while the Xbox 360 version costs $19.99 and cannot be bought digitally from the PlayStation Store on PlayStation 3. It is unknown why Bethesda made the game free for PC six years after launch, but the publisher’s annual QuakeCon event is this week and is currently holding a Steam sale on its catalog up to 75% off.

Brink released to middling reviews after launching for the three platforms in May 2011 due to lack of content and various technical issues. The class-based shooter touted a single-player campaign and multiplayer rolled into one experience, and the SMART (Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain) system which allowed players to bypass any obstacles by holding down a single button, similar to parkour.

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About the author

Tom Meyer

Follow on Twitter @tomeyerz for musings on video games and things that confound him.

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