Active Matter Price: $29.99, Editions & Credits

The Active Matter price is $29.99 for the Standard Edition as of September 21, 2026, and that is the number confirmed across all three storefronts: Steam, the Gaijin Store's amount payable and the Xbox store listing. Above Standard sit three higher editions — Advanced, Deluxe and Elite Squad — and the official word on them is that they differ in starting weapons, equipment and in-game resources rather than in content. The game is a paid release with no documented free version, though players who bought the paid Early Version on the Gaijin Store from September 9, 2025 can claim the Steam version at no extra cost. This page covers the editions, the two currencies, refunds and the pay to win question.

How much does Active Matter cost?

The Standard Edition is $29.99 as of September 21, 2026, and that price is unusually well corroborated: it appears on the Steam app page, as the amount payable on the Gaijin Store Standard Edition product page, and in the Xbox store listing. Higher editions cost more on every storefront, and the official site points to each store page for a full per-edition breakdown, so we do not publish tier prices here. A buyer's guide published days before launch tells viewers the Standard Edition is the one most people should look at first, on the grounds that the raid loop, progression and weapons are the same in every edition. (single source)

What each edition includes

Every edition grants in-game currencies and starting kit, with the currencies scaling sharply and the gameplay content staying the same. All Prime included with an edition is granted once rather than per season, which matters if you are comparing headline numbers.

Edition	Credits	Prime (one-time)	What else it adds
Standard	25,000	300	5 weapon sets, 1 weapon modification set, 10 equipment sets, 6 ammunition sets
Advanced	60,000	1,300	First storage slot expansion, first replicator queue expansion, a backup weapon, and the Scout drone "Harpy" replicator recipe
Deluxe	185,000	5,500	Character shells and camo, three storage expansions, two replicator queue expansions, three vehicle and drone recipes, two backup weapons, gun camos with Shop access, tactical beacons, Provided Equipment +1 and an operative objectives slot +1
Elite Squad	Deluxe contents	Deluxe contents	One Deluxe Edition plus two extra Standard Edition keys

The sound department is part of the Deluxe pitch as well: the original soundtrack features guest composer Akira Yamaoka, and it is sold separately on Steam or included with the Deluxe Edition. Two content sections of the official site also note that upgrade paths run from Standard and Advanced up to Deluxe, and from all three up to Elite Squad.

Official screenshot, © Matter Team / Gaijin Network Ltd.

Is the edition difference pay to win?

This is the question the editions invite, and the honest answer is that Gaijin has a specific wording for it that stops short of the phrase pay to win. The official FAQ states that the editions differ in their starting selection of weapons, equipment and in-game resources, and that otherwise the content available to buyers is identical. That wording draws the line between starting stock and content, and it is the furthest Gaijin goes on the subject, so we quote it rather than issuing a verdict of our own. For completeness we note two related store facts: the Xbox listing carries an in-app purchase notice, and Deluxe includes a Shop access entry on the official edition table. (single source)

Credits and Prime: what your money buys

Credits are the everyday currency: they are earned during raids by completing contracts, processing obtained active matter and selling looted items, and they are spent on weapons, ammunition and other essential equipment. Prime is the slower, more valuable currency, earned from daily contracts, and it is the only one the official text says does not reset after a Harmonization. Prime buys Credits, Monolith access levels and special items such as additional secure containers and respawn beacons, which is why the bundled Prime in higher editions is the headline difference. Note the death rule that sits under all of this: if your character dies during a raid you lose every weapon and equipment item that was not placed in a safe container or is not personal.

Official screenshot, © Matter Team / Gaijin Network Ltd.

Is Active Matter free?

No free version is documented, and the storefronts treat it as a paid product with a $29.99 entry point as of September 21, 2026. There is one free route, but it is a loyalty path rather than a free-to-play tier: the game spent its Early Version period as a paid Gaijin Store exclusive from September 9, 2025, and buyers of that version receive the Steam release at no extra cost provided they complete account linking by November 23, 2026. If you already own the Early Version, that deadline is the one date on this page worth writing down. Full details are on our connect with Steam page.

Where to buy, upgrade and refund

The official site offers four purchase routes, and all four sell the same game: Steam, the Gaijin Store under the Windows option, the PlayStation Store and the Xbox store. Two store-specific points are worth knowing before you pay. First, the Xbox listing notes that online multiplayer on console requires an Xbox Game Pass Essential, Premium or Ultimate subscription sold separately, which is an ongoing cost on top of the purchase price. (single source) Second, refund terms are platform-specific: the official FAQ says a Gaijin Store purchase is refundable if you have played for under two hours, with the money returned to your Gaijin Store balance.

Official screenshot, © Matter Team / Gaijin Network Ltd.

Where to go next

If you have decided to buy and want platform-specific detail, the PS5 page and the Xbox page cover those versions and their store listings. Before you pay, it is also worth checking the system requirements and the release date timeline, which covers both the Early Version period and the September 15, 2026 launch. And if you want to know what your Credits and Prime are actually spent on over time, the wipe and Harmonization Cycle guide explains resets.