REPO Won't Be Free-to-Play, And That's a Win for Everyone

In a gaming world flooded with battle passes, premium skins, and daily login shops, REPO is taking a refreshing stand. Semiwork, the indie dev team behind the co-op horror hit, recently announced in a YouTube Q&A that REPO will never go free-to-play, and there will be no microtransactions.

Their reason? Simple. They want players to unlock cosmetics by just playing the damn game.

"No, there are no plans to make the game free-to-play, as we don't want to add microtransactions or have cosmetics that you buy with real money," Semiwork said.

Instead, anything cosmetic, like changing your robot’s color or maybe even giving it a stylish little hat—will be earned through gameplay, after you've bought the game once. No battle passes. No skin bundles. No 'limited time offer' FOMO garbage.

Wait, What's REPO Again?

If you haven't heard, REPO dropped earlier this year and instantly carved out a cult following. Check the game on the Steam Store page. It’s a tense, goofy, chaotic co-op horror game where you and your friends play as tiny customizable robots (called Semibots) sent to repossess valuables in creepy, monster-infested facilities.

Imagine if Phasmophobia and Teardown had a weird little robot baby—and then that baby grew up watching Dead by Daylight.

Players loved the balance between horror and humor: You’re scared one second, laughing your head off the next when your buddy's bot gets punted across the room.

Since launch, REPO has blown up way beyond what Semiwork expected, sparking a passionate fanbase hungry for more maps, cosmetics, and chaos.

How Did Microtransactions Even Start Anyway?

It wasn’t always like this.

Microtransactions started small in the mid-2010s with mobile games—think $0.99 for extra lives in Candy Crush. Then it bled into console and PC gaming. Early examples include Horse Armor DLC for Oblivion (2006), which people joked about... but still bought.

By the 2010s, free-to-play games like Counter-Strike, Fortnite, League of Legends, and Warframe perfected the model: Give away the game itself, but charge real money for skins, battle passes, loot boxes, you name it.

Today? Even $70 AAA games (cough Call of Duty cough) stack microtransactions on top of the initial purchase. It’s everywhere, and players are exhausted.

That's why Semiwork's decision with REPO feels like a breath of fresh air.

Co-op Horror Games Comparison

Just to give some perspective, here’s how some of REPO’s co-op horror cousins have been received over the years:

REPO’s landing right where you’d want it for a breakout indie horror game—and it’s climbing fast thanks to word of mouth and no predatory business model attached.

So... Hats When?

Right now, the only customization available in REPO is tweaking your Semibot’s color scheme. Mods have added some funky options, but official cosmetics are coming soon, according to Semiwork.

The team hinted during their Q&A that cosmetic unlocks would be tied to gameplay milestones or achievements. No battle pass gauntlet. No item shop rotations. Just you, your bot, and a bunch of tasks (and probably a lot of screaming).

Also, expressions (think emotes) are coming soon, though it’s unclear whether these will be unlockable or instantly available.

I don't even care if it’s just silly hats and dances. I will grind my way to the fanciest top hat in the game.

"Things like cosmetics you will get for free by just simply playing the game, after buying the game initially of course."

Imagine running from a Reaper while wearing a tiny party hat. That's the dream.

REPO is an Artwork Project, lol

REPO’s approach is bigger than just "no microtransactions." It’s a subtle rebellion against the way modern games have turned into soulless slot machines.

By sticking to a "buy once, play forever" model and rewarding players purely through gameplay, Semiwork is:

• Respecting player time
• Respecting player wallets
• Building community goodwill the old-school way

It’s kinda wild that respecting your players feels revolutionary in 2025. But here we are.

And judging by how REPO is blowing up? Players notice. And they appreciate it.

Horror as a Comedy

Will REPO become the next massive co-op horror juggernaut like Phasmophobia or Dead by Daylight?

Who knows.

But one thing’s for sure: it’s already won a lot of hearts just by treating players with respect.

No microtransactions. No “$20 skins” scams. Just a funny little robot, a terrifying monster, and the promise of earning your ridiculous outfit the old-fashioned way: by actually playing the game.

If you ask me, that's exactly the kind of game the horror genre (and the industry in general) desperately needs more of.