Quake Champions: How to Earn Favor and Shards
Learn the types of in-game currency in Quake Champions and what you can buy, as well as how real-money transactions work.
Quake Champions is id Software's spiritual successor to Quake 3: Arena and Quake Live—an arena-style shooter where the player with the fastest reflexes and most intimate knowledge of each map's weapon locations and spawn points comes out on top. Anyone can play for free, but you'll need to spend real or in-game currency to unlock additional characters, armor pieces, and other knickknacks.
This guide explains how to get up and fragging with your free character, as well as how to accumulate currencies in Quake Champions.
What You Get for Free
Players receive one champion, Ranger, for free, plus all maps and game modes. You'll also earn in-game currencies with which to rent additional champions and purchase loot boxes that contain armor pieces and shaders that change the color of your armor.
Like all entries in the Quake series, Champions favors skill over attributes. Knowledge of map layouts and mastery over advanced techniques such as rocket jumping will carry you farther than players who rely on their favorite character's deeper health pool or beefier armor.
Currencies
Three currencies flow through Quake Champions' economy: Shards, Favor, and Platinum. Shards and Favor are in-game currencies earned by performing various actions, detailed below. Platinum is a premium currency that you must spend real money to gain.
Favor: Earned by completing daily challenges—displayed to the right on the main menu—and by doing well in matches. Used to rent champions for 24 real-time hours and purchase loot boxes.
Shards: Earned by breaking down weapons and armor pieces. Used to craft weapons and armor pieces.
Platinum: Purchased using real money. Used to purchase champions and permanently add them to your roster of characters. Also used to purchase premium loot boxes that grant more common items and several premium items.
Check out our Quake Champions guide for tips and strategies, as well as details on all the game's weapons and how to buy and redeem loot boxes.
