Square Enix Turns Foamstars Into Free-to-Play Splatoon Shooter

Square Enix is transitioning its multiplayer party shooter Foamstars to a free-to-play model just eight months after its launch. Released in February 2024 on PS4 and PS5, Foamstars has struggled with reception and sales, earning a mediocre review score of 6/10. Starting October 4, 2024, the game will be accessible to all PS4 and PS5 players without a PlayStation Plus subscription. Current owners will receive a “Legacy Gift” of exclusive in-game items as a token of appreciation from Square Enix. This change comes amid broader challenges for the company, including disappointing performance from recent titles like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and a restructuring strategy aimed at expanding to multiple platforms.

Square Enix is making Foamstars free-to-play in response to its lackluster sales and player engagement, hoping to attract a wider audience and improve the game's viability in the competitive online shooter market.

Foamstars is Square Enix’s answer to Nintendo's highly successful Splatoon series. While it attempted to carve its niche in the party shooter genre, the game faced criticism for its aggressive monetization strategies and complex mechanics that detracted from the gaming experience. This pivot to a free-to-play model aims to rejuvenate interest amidst significant internal restructuring and financial challenges for the company.