Dodgeball brawler Knockout City is going free-to-play and self-published

Velan Studios is taking the wheel as it goes free-to-play

Dodgeball arena fighter Knockout City is tearing down the paywall this year. Developer Velan Studios is making Knockout City free-to-play this spring, as it transitions into a new era of self-publishing.

In a blog update, Velan Studios confirms that Knockout City will go free-to-play with Season 6. The season kickoff coincides with the start of the second year of updates to Knockout City as well.

With Year 2, Velan Studios will also be self-publishing Knockout City. It was previously under the EA Originals umbrella, but Velan Studios says publishing in-house will allow the team to realize their vision for the “long-term future” of the game.

The multiplayer brawler is currently rolling towards its fifth season, dubbed Season 5: Greatest Hits. As part of the transition into F2P and the year ahead, this season will have a little less content: no Brawl Pass (the Knockout City battle pass), fewer bundles and cosmetics, and no new map or ball.

Once Season 6 arrives though, content will kick up again. Those who bought Knockout City already will get a Loyalty Bundle as well, including some exclusive cosmetics, XP boosts, and some Holobux (in-game currency).

Knockout City fully launched in May 2021, and it was a pretty good time. It was a bit of an overnight success, with players flocking to check it out at the start. And while it’s been easy for games to become the momentary success stories that quietly fall back after a while, Knockout City is one I wouldn’t mind going back to. Its mix of fighting game, arena shooter, and dodgeball was pretty fun. Going free-to-play should hopefully inject some new players into the fold.