Prison Architect Free For Life Update Isn't What It Seems

Paradox is courting controversy with the Prison Architect Free For Life update, which paradoxically isn't making the game free to own.


Published: September 9, 2022 10:37 AM /

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Prison Architect Free For Life update header showing off the logo and a bunch of prisoners.

The latest Prison Architect update, Prison Architect Free for Life, is releasing next week. It also seems to be going out of its way to confuse people. No, it's not going to be released for free, and the game isn't on sale. It's a pretty good meme, though, and it isn't lying: the update is free. Wow, who would've thought? 

Anyways, with the Prison Architect Free for Life update, you can expect to see a prisoner log and scheduler, save and reuse functionality, inmates being divided into age groups, new guard ranks, and improved build and planning tools. Let's take a look at it all, shall we?

Does this update make Prison Architect free?

Unfortunately, it does not, but it does add a bunch of new stuff. The prisoner log and improved scheduler will ensure that you're aware of everything that's going on within your prison. You'll be able to keep track of inmates' activities, uncover misconducts before they occur, and keep track of who exactly is released, reformed, or reoffended. The game's scheduler has also been improved, meaning that there are new options and settings to fiddle with.

Speaking of fiddling, if you happen to really like a new prison, policy, or quick build that you've constructed, you'll be able to save them in your preferences and save time next time you want to start anew. That's a pretty useful feature, because sometimes you'll like one thing or another that you don't want to re-do every time you start over, so this change in particular is very welcome.

Prison Architect free for life update screenshot showing a man getting put in the electric chair.
This Prison Architect Free For Life update is electric.

As for inmates, they are now being divided into young, senior, and elderly. After inmates are stuck in prison for an extended period of time, they will change both visually and functionally. They will also develop different needs compared to younger inmates, like maybe needing adult diapers and repeatedly watching Yellowstone. 

Guards will now have ranks as well. Basically, when they first arrive at the prison, they're unranked and will have to earn their promotions to Officer and Specialist Officer positions. Each increase in rank will provide perks, which I'm sure the guards will appreciate after the fiftieth gang war they have to stop. 

Last but not least, improved building and planning tools are being added to the game, which will add new options for fences and walls. There's also a new cursor-based tooltip that will state both the horizonal and vertical dimensions of the room, along with the planned cost for the currently drawn section. This update goes live on September 12th, so be sure to download it then.

For more information on Prison Architect, The Last Starship, and more games from Introversion Software, stay tuned to TechRaptor.

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Patrick is a former Staff Writer for TechRaptor and has been gaming on every console he could get since he could hold a controller. He’s been writing for… More about Patrick