Unofficial field indexUpdated for v0.4.0.115 — checked 17 Sep 2026
Guide / Active Matter price and editions
Active Matter price and editions
The short answer
Active Matter is buy-to-play, not free-to-play, and there is no subscription. The entry price is $29.99 and it is the same on Steam, the Gaijin Store, the PlayStation Store and the Microsoft Store. Higher editions exist and cost more; the official FAQ states that everything other than the extra weapons, equipment and resources in those packs is identical between editions.
What each store charges
| Store | Standard | Higher tiers |
|---|---|---|
| Steam (PC) | $29.99 | Advanced $49.98 · Deluxe $99.15 (listed with a 9% bundle discount at the time of this check) · separate soundtrack $8.99 |
| Gaijin Store (PC) | $29.99 | Advanced, Deluxe and Elite Squad editions listed |
| PlayStation Store (PS5) | $29.99 | Higher console editions advertised; the current prices for them were not confirmed in this check |
| Microsoft Store (Xbox Series X|S) | $29.99+ | The storefront shows a "from" price, which means at least one higher edition exists |
Swipe the table sideways to read every column
Prices are the US storefronts at the time of this check (17 September 2026) and are set per region by each storefront — expect local pricing to differ.
What is inside each edition
| Edition | Headline contents |
|---|---|
| Standard | 25,000 Credits · 300 Prime (one-time) · 5 weapons · 1 weapon modification · 10 equipment items · 6 ammunition items |
| Advanced | 60,000 Credits · 1,300 Prime (one-time) · first storage slot expansion · first Replicator queue expansion · a personal backup melee weapon · a Replicator recipe for the "Harpy" scout drone |
| Deluxe | 185,000 Credits · 5,500 Prime (one-time) · the "Reaper" and "Knight" character shells · a "Rust" shell camouflage · an "Anomalous Zone Veteran" army dog tag · extended armband set · three storage expansions · two Replicator queue expansions · Replicator recipes for the "Bonecrusher" quad bike, the robot dog and the "Harpy" scout drone · two personal backup melee weapons · 20 × Reptile gun camo and 20 × Wood gun camo with shop access · 10 × tactical beacon · +1 operative objectives slot |
| Elite Squad | The largest early-version pack, sold through the Gaijin Store; its contents overlap heavily with Deluxe and are listed on that storefront |
Swipe the table sideways to read every column
The pattern worth noticing: the packs hand you starting resources and convenience — Credits, Prime, storage space, Replicator queues, cosmetics and a couple of melee backups — rather than a different version of the game.
Credits and Prime, explained
- Credits are the ordinary in-game currency. You earn them by playing and you spend them on gear.
- Prime comes only from editions. It is granted once, and it does not reset when you harmonize a cycle. It can be spent on Credits, on Monolith access levels, on additional secure containers and on respawn beacons.
Can you upgrade an edition?
Yes, but which upgrade path applies depends on the storefront and on when you bought:
- The post-release editions panel states: "Standard and Advanced editions can be upgraded up to Deluxe."
- The earlier, pre-release announcement for the Gaijin Store version said Standard, Advanced and Deluxe could be upgraded up to Elite Squad.
- On Steam the upgrades are sold as bundles, which is why Steam shows an Advanced bundle price and a discounted Deluxe bundle rather than a flat list price.
If you bought on one storefront, do not assume the upgrade is purchasable on another; upgrades are sold by the store you bought from.
If you already own the early PC version
Buyers of the 2025 Gaijin Store early version were offered the Steam edition at no extra cost until 23 November. If you are in that group and have not claimed it, that is the cheapest route to a Steam copy you will get.
Are there microtransactions?
This is the part where we flag a gap instead of answering confidently. Community reporting from the early version said there were no in-game microtransactions and that the only "pay-to-win" element was which edition you bought. At the same time, the Xbox store listing carries an "offers in-app purchases" notice, and the storefronts do not explain what that notice covers. We are not going to guess. The dedicated pay-to-win page is not part of this wave and will be published in a later wave once that notice is resolved.
What happens when you die
Edition contents are starting gear, and starting gear can be lost. Items you carry into a raid are at risk; the packs exist to shorten the early grind, not to make you unkillable. Secure containers, some of which come with the higher editions as Credits-purchasable or edition-granted items, are the mechanic that protects a small amount of loot.