Savvy Steam users noticed today that 2K and Turtle Rock Studios' Evolve, which released back in early 2015, has been removed from Steam without notice. After being momentarily left in the dark, Chris Ashton and Phil Robb, co-founders of Turtle Rock Studios, explained via a detailed blog post that Evolve would be going free to play, with a PC beta set to release later today.

As Chris and Phil explain, the Evolve's development and release was a rather tumultuous ride. After its initial reveal, the game received praise from press and fans alike, and won Best of Show at both Gamescom and E3 that year. Things were promising leading up to its release, but when Evolve finally launched, the tides quickly shifted. Reviews were mixed, with critics and fans complaining of balancing issues and a perceived lack of longevity. Our very own Matt Whittaker reviewed Evolve, and like many others, he took issue with the insane amount of paid DLC the game offered.

After its launch, Evolve slowly sunk into the background, and the player base quickly dwindled. Now, a year after its release, Turtle Rock is set to release the game as a free to play title. While details are sparse at this point, it has been pointed out that players who already owned Evolve will receive 'Founder' status in the new free version, which will unlock all previously owned content, along with special gifts and rewards.