You drop into a high-intensity, arena-style grudge match. You activate your inner beast mode, gear up fast, throw together a game plan, and jump into the fray, ready to see if you have what it takes to be the last man standing. Whether you’re racking up a kill streak or just adding to the chaos, you’re ready to spill blood. After all, dying is for losers.

H1Z1 is being developed as a fast-paced shooter that will be comprised of multiple fight-to-the-death game modes, including Battle Royale. Players will compete in large-scale chaotic PvP spectacles of skill, wit, and a little luck, where everyone must fight to the death to stand alone at the top of the podium.

Will you be the type to hide among the berry bushes, letting most of the crowd thin themselves out before you join the ruckus? Or are you going to dive in, guns blazing, adding kills faster than you can count? Which weapons will you grab first, and what other supplies will help take you to victory? King of the Kill game modes are all about scavenging and strategy (and, yes, a little bit of luck and a whole lot of crazy).

Having officially launched last week on Steam for $19.99, Daybreak announced today that H1Z1 is now free to play, with players who already purchased the game receiving the new Appreciation Pack for bonus in-game content.

Starting April 21, fifteen pro teams (CLG, Echo Fox, Cloud9, Luminosity, & more) will compete over the course of two, 10-week splits at Caesars Entertainment Studios (Las Vegas, NV), with partners Twin Galaxies providing leaderboard support and Facebook exclusively broadcasting all digital content. 

Auto Royale game mode highlights:

• Two New Vehicles: Players can choose from two vehicles in Auto Royale – sedan or ARV – both new to the game and only available in Auto Royale.
  • Sedan: Nimble car with faster acceleration and higher jump clearance, allowing skilled drivers to quickly evade enemies.
  • Armored Recon Vehicle (ARV): Offers more stability, making it easier to drive for new players, but has less turbo fuel efficiency.
• New Weapons: The light machine gun (LMG), available only in Auto Royale, deals the most sustained damage of any gun in the game.
• New Power Ups: Players pick up evasive, defensive and combat drops to throw opponents off their trail, heal themselves, or deal damage to enemy vehicles.  
  • Drops include vehicle repair kits, environmental buffs, fire extinguishers, and vehicle armor.
  • Power ups include smoke screens, high-octane fuel, turbo boosts, and oil slicks.
  • Pick-ups include landmines and corrosive smoke.

Auto Royale is currently in beta and will continue to develop with feedback from the community. Along with the new vehicular battle royale game mode, H1Z1 launches with a plethora of new features designed to enhance the game’s competitive nature and fast-paced combat.

Additional H1Z1 launch features:

• Tactical Deployment: Players can choose which area to parachute into at the start of a match using a heat map that shows locations of where other players spawn.
• Airdrop Revamp: The airdrop system has been refined to add more points of contention, increasing the drop frequency and item value.
• Season 1: The first official in-game season for H1Z1 starts with an all-new scoring algorithm designed to reward consistency and aggression, not just a player’s 10 best placements.
• Mini-map: Players now have the option to turn on a mini-map to help them navigate the world.
• Founder’s Item: All players who bought H1Z1 during early access will receive a special in-game shirt.
• And More!

H1Z1 is available as free download through Steam for PC, with PS4 and Xbox One versions to follow later.