For the last few years,Fall Guyshas enjoyed steady success. The title was released amidst the global COVID pandemic, causing it to explode in popularity, alongside similar titles likeAmong Us. However,Fall Guyshas wavered in and out of popularity, since then. Last month,Fall Guys' fourth seasonwas released, adding multiple new features to its tried-and-tested formula. Among these was a completely restructured Battle Pass, retitled Fame Pass, which aims to make players' time investment more rewarding by splitting its season-wide progression into smaller periods. More games should borrowFall Guys' new Battle Pass approach, as it addresses one of players' biggest complaints about modern gaming.
Fall Guysis a physics-based Battle Royale game, in which players compete in a series of mini-games until a single winner is crowned. The game’s simple premise was perfect for gamers stuck inside during the COVID pandemic, leading it to become one of the industry’s most popular titles.Fall Guyseventually went free-to-play in June 2022, which opened it up to a new community of fans. However, this change created a host of frustrations for longtime fans, the biggest of which centered around its Battle Pass progression.
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Fall Guys' Fame Pass is a Game Changer
Fall Guys' Battle Passunderwent a major change when the title switched to a free-to-play model. The title’s reworked monetization system and Battle Pass progression made many fans feel like a quick loss had become more rewarding than trying to win, with daily, weekly, and monthly challenges becoming a required chore.
With Season 4’s Fame Pass, that loss of investment is directly addressed, with a new structure specifically designed to better reward players for their time. By splitting the seasonal Battle Pass into monthly Fame Passes, players are rewarded with proportionately more costumes, colors, patterns, and emotes, while avoiding the grind that usually comes with acquiring the top seasonal rewards.
Fall Guys' main appealhas always been its fun and quirky qualities, which it shares across both its gameplay and rewards. Fame Passes help to renew players' interest in acquiring those rewards with a focused progression each month. More importantly, and on a wider scope, it also makes it easier for players to choose where to invest their time.
By removing the season-long grind for certain rewards, Fame Passes allow players to choose whether they want to earn the best rewards that month or give additional attention to other games on their docket. In doing so, the benefit of Fame Passes extends beyondFall Guysitself, setting a standard that could grow to revitalize one of gaming’s most reviled features.
Other Free-to-Play Titles Should Borrow Fall Guys' Fame Pass
Battle Passes have the ability to make or break a gamein the eyes of fans. With so many games available, yet so little time to divide among them, gamers often feel overwhelmed by the grind required to complete their favorite titles' Battle Pass. As designed, most Battle Passes lock their few truly valuable rewards behind the highest levels of their progression, requiring players to play for hours a day, every day.
The Fame Pass model presents an alternative, offering a smaller battle pass that increases the reward for the time spent playing while providing fresh incentives on a monthly basis. If a Fame Pass' highest reward does not appeal to a player, then that player is not required to grind through that month’s Pass to receive the best reward next month.
Fall GuysSeason 4 is borrowing a page out of Fortnite’s playbook, adding a Creative Construction mode to the title. In that same vein, other free-to-play titles should consider taking a play fromFall Guys’approach to the Battle Pass system. Fans of free-to-play games include some of the industry’s most die-hard communities and companies would be wise to followFall Guys' lead rewarding player loyalty.
Fall Guysis available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
