In a similar vein to Fortnite's business model, developers Bethesda and id Software are introducing a new progression system and paid Battle Pass to Quake Champions, slated to arrive on December 20.
This seems like a natural move for the developers, as a pay-per-season model brings in a steady source of income and incentivize players to keep coming back.
However, it brings forth the potential for backlash, like the argument that devs may be more interested in monetizing as opposed to fixing technical issues, etc.
Announced earlier today in a developer video, Quake Champions will still be free to play, but paying for a Battle Pass (a set of progression tiers players pay to access every season) each season unlocks more items than players would normally get, and there's a greater chance to receive uniquely new items.
The Battle Pass will cost 1,000 Platinum (about $10 USD), and players can also pay to advance levels for 200 Platinum (about $2).
Players who choose to pay each season will also get an "immediate" bonus item, and will reportedly see additional weekly challenges with the promise of more rewards.