Is Active Matter Free? Price and Payment Rules
No, Active Matter is buy-to-play. The Standard Edition is $29.99, with Advanced and Deluxe above it. Here is what you must know before paying.
Direct answer: no
Active Matter is not free to play and has no free mode. It is buy-to-play, with the Standard Edition priced at $29.99 / €29.99 on Steam. Open the store page and you will see a purchase button, not a free-to-play entry.
Three more paid editions sit above it.
| Edition | Steam price reference | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $29.99 | The base game, complete |
| Advanced | $49.98 bundle | More starting resources and slots |
| Deluxe | $99.15 bundle (4 items, 9% off) | Cosmetics, vehicles, robot dog, soundtrack |
| Elite Squad | Gaijin Store only, no single price published | One Deluxe plus two Standard keys |
The key line from the official FAQ: editions differ only in starting weapons, gear and in-game resources, and “otherwise, the content available to buyers is identical”.
The two in-game currencies
After paying, two currencies shape your pace.
Credits are the main currency. You earn them in raids by completing contracts and processing active matter and looted items, and spend them on weapons, ammunition and gear.
Prime comes from daily contracts and does not reset after a Harmonization. It buys Credits, Monolith access levels, extra secure containers and respawn beacons.
Two limits to remember: Prime bundled with an edition is granted once, and dying in a raid loses every weapon and piece of equipment not in a safe container or marked personal.
Why a pricier edition does not make you stronger
This is worth spelling out in a game built on death and loss.
Because anything unprotected is lost on death, what you buy above the base price is a batch of starting resources, a few slots and some cosmetics — not a weapon that can never be lost. Die a handful of times and the head start is spent.
What actually holds value long term is Prime, because it survives Harmonization — and you earn it from daily contracts, not from a purchase.
The refund window is small
Bought through the Gaijin Store? You can request a refund under two hours of playtime, and the money returns to your Gaijin Store balance. Past two hours, no refund. The path is the Refund button in your purchase history.
Steam purchases follow Steam’s own refund policy.
That window is effectively the only structured trial the game offers, so spend it on what you actually need to test: the head bob, the audio cues, the AI behaviour.
What to buy, by situation
| Your situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Just want to play the content | Standard. It matches the higher editions exactly |
| Want less grinding and more slots early | Advanced — but that is convenience, not power |
| Want cosmetics, vehicles, robot dog, soundtrack | Deluxe |
| Want to bring a friend | Elite Squad, Gaijin Store only |
| Want to test for free | No free entry exists today; wait for another limited demo |
Frequently asked
Will it go free to play later?
Gaijin has announced nothing of the sort. It is buy-to-play and has already sold several rounds.
Is it pay-to-win?
Media analysis (TechTimes, 2026-08-25) concluded there is no traditional pay-to-win: higher editions grant one-time resources and slots, and the death-drop rule limits the long-term value of a head start. That is third-party analysis, not a Gaijin statement.
I read that cheaper editions limit daily PvE runs — true?
That claim appears in pre-launch player discussion, but the official FAQ contains no such mechanic. We flag it as an unconfirmed player claim, not a purchase factor.
What DLC exists?
One item on Steam today: the Original Game Soundtrack, Vol.1 at $8.99. The Deluxe Edition already includes the digital soundtrack.
Keep reading
Want the edition-by-edition breakdown? See the edition comparison. Want to know where it is sold? See platforms. Want to know whether the money is worth it? See the review round-up.