Square Enix’s multiplayer shooter “Foamstars” is now free-to-play on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The game, which combines homebase building mechanics with a multiplayer shooter experience, allows players to use foam to create terrain, build higher vantage points, and traverse the map quickly to attack enemies. The transition to free-to-play comes after the game struggled to maintain a long-term player base following its initial release in February 2024.
Despite being available to PlayStation Plus subscribers during its launch month, “Foamstars” saw a significant decline in players shortly after. As part of the free-to-play transition, Square Enix is offering a “Legacy Gift” to those who purchased the game before the price change. This gift includes 12 exclusive color-variant Bubble Beastie skins, an exclusive Slide Board design, and a “Legacy” title.
Details on how to claim the gift can be found on the game’s official website.
Foamstars’ transition to free-to-play
The move to free-to-play coincides with the launch of the game’s 8th season, Diamond Jam.
This season introduces Diamond Tokens and the Diamond Market, where players can exchange these currencies for various in-game items such as skins and emotes. The new season also features five maps for the Destroy the Star game mode and rewards for players with the corresponding Battle Pass. “Foamstars” faced criticism before its launch due to its similarities to Nintendo’s “Splatoon” and the use of artificial intelligence.
The game also received backlash for the high prices of its cosmetic items. It remains to be seen if the transition to free-to-play will help “Foamstars” recover and build a sustainable player base. The game is now available for free on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, and players do not need a PlayStation Plus subscription to access the online modes.
