How much will Stray cost when it comes out? Less than you think

Olivia Richman Published 07/06/2022

Stray is finally coming to PC and PlayStation after years of delays and mystery. Featuring a cat with a robot companion, Stray is an indie game set in an apocalyptic, lonely sci-fi city with players using their cat-inspired abilities and senses to find their family. So how much will Stray cost being an indie game?

Stray will launch on July 19, 2022 for PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. It will be available for $29.99, which is half the cost of most full games. This has left some gamers curious as to why the game isn’t the usual $59.99.

Is Stray a full game?

Stray is a full game in the sense that it’s a complete adventure. It’s currently unknown how long it takes to beat Stray, but developers have explained that the game is “wide-linear,” meaning it’s not completely open world but also isn’t a simple platformer.

“We didn’t really didn’t want to have that kind of challenge because we found out that being a cat really implies that every jump is super smooth and calculated, that you’re jumping your way around really easily. And so these controls can do that and make you feel very fluid around the environments. If you can imagine a traditional platforming challenge where you have to control your jump and miss very often that wouldn’t be true to life,” said Neil Druckmann, Naughty Dog co-founder.

Stray will also have areas that are no longer completely linear, with one of the developers explaining that there are “bubbles” where it appears to be a more open world. But being within a city, there are boundaries and barriers. But players will be able to navigate the city freely and explore in certain parts. The smaller scale of the project is part of why Stray will cost much less than other big titles.

Is Stray going to be free?

Stray will be free for PS Plus Premium subscribers, the highest tier of PlayStation Plus. Steam currently offers a 10% discount on preorders for the game. But Stray is not launching as a free game overall.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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