Since the original Granblue Fantasy mobile RPG is free to play, you can’t be blamed for wondering if the same applies to its recent ventures into other genres.
The newest of those is Granblue Fantasy: Relink which, while still an RPG, swaps the original’s turn-based battles for real-time action and up to four player co-op. It launches Feb. 1 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Steam (there’s no Xbox or Nintendo Switch version, sadly).
Is Granblue Fantasy: Relink a free-to-play game?
No. Granblue Fantasy: Relink is as a full-price game, with no mention of any microtransactions or other such free-to-play mechanics. The PlayStation version (which includes a PS4 and a PS5 copy) is available on the PlayStation Store for the usual $59.99 (the Steam version lacks pricing at the moment), though there is a Special Edition for $79.99 and a Digital Deluxe Edition for $99.99 that throw in additional items.
Although there’s no mention of any microtransactions or gacha elements, post-launch DLC could always be a thing later down the line. Given how massive the cast of Granblue Fantasy is, it wouldn’t be surprising if even more characters become available as DLC party members.
Knowing it isn’t free may make some players more inclined to give Granblue Fantasy: Relink a shot. Nowadays, free-to-play games tend to get a lot of stigma simply because of their reliance on microtransactions. You can hardly blame people, considering they often come across as predatory. Some games like Diablo 4 (which isn’t free to play but does have microtransactions) have even been accused of being pay-to-win. This is more common for games with competitive multiplayer features; something Granblue Fantasy: Relink also completely lacks, as it only mentions co-op.
Anyone who’s curious should put some time aside to try out the Granblue Fantasy: Relink demo, which is rather meaty in terms of content.
