H1Z1 recently left Steam Early Access after three years of diligent development. A new Auto Royale game mode was also included with the final game. Out of the blue, Daybreak Games made a big unexpected announcement today. H1Z1 will be a free-to-play title starting at approximately 10 AM Pacific Standard Time. Anthony Castoro, H1Z1 General Manager, commented that their ultimate goal is to attract more players to the game and convert H1Z1 into a must-watch eSport. As a sign of gratitude to the players who purchased and supported the game from the start, Daybreak Games will be recompensate them with a special "H1Z1 Appreciation Pack", which contains a Gasrunner Hoodie, a Bloom Survivor T-Shirt, a Splinter Camo ARV, 10 Victory Crates, and 10,000 Skulls. Consumers who purchased H1Z1 recently can request a Steam refund. According to Valve's rules, refunds are only eligible within 14 days of purchase, and the game has been played for less than two hours. Even if customers don't meet the requirements, they are still encouraged to submit a request, and Valve will evaluate it.

Daybreak Games today announced the official launch of H1Z1, the original standalone battle royale game that sparked a worldwide phenomenon. H1Z1 is now available on Steam for Windows PC with a brand-new game mode, Auto Royale, injecting high-octane vehicular mayhem into the genre.

"In 2016, we did something unheard of - we split a successful game into two products and introduced the world to the first standalone battle royale game. The next year, we created the first battle royale esports league and became the second esport to ever air on broadcast television. This year, we continue to push this young genre forward with the introduction of Auto Royale," said H1Z1 General Manager Anthony Castoro. "Auto Royale doesn't rinse and repeat what is currently available on the market; it turns the genre on its head with a fresh approach - arcadey, vehicle-only battle royale unlike anything anyone has experienced before."

Steam has revealed the top selling/highest grossing games on its platform for the year 2017, and with come some surprises, and some non-surprises as well. The distinction between top selling and highest grossing is a needed one, if you look at the top Platinum tier. There are two free-to-play games on it, which really isn't much when you consider that the category itself contains 12 titles. Still, it does go to show how correct monetization of free-to-play games leads to impressive earnings for companies. Joining those two titles are the usual multiplayer galore of titles. The hit phenomenon Player Unknown's Battlegrounds stars in 4th place, behind H1Z1, Grand Theft Auto V, and Rocket League. When it comes to single-player games, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt holds its own on 6th place in the Platinum list, a remarkable feat if one considers the game was originally released in May 2015, and hasn't seen added content for a year now.

From Dec. 14 - 21, Daybreak Games will kick off H1Z1's first-ever Free Week! The original standalone battle royale shooter will be free to download and play in full for the entire week, starting Thursday, Dec. 14. Additionally, during this week, H1Z1 will be on sale through Steam for 75% off. H1Z1 is also celebrating the holidays with Wreck the Halls! Throughout the month of December, players have the chance to obtain a four-piece holiday-themed outfit across multiple in-game events. To win a piece of the ensemble, players must finish 30th or better in any holiday event match.