No, BioWare’s Star Wars MMO The Old Republic isn’t going completely free to play, but it is adding an option for newbies to feel the force for nothing (and some cool stuff for those already onboard).
Starting this Fall (no strict date as of yet), the massively multiplayer online RPG will be free to play for new players up to level 50. New sign-ups won’t really be handicapped too much either (though there will be some limitations) as they’ll have access to all 8 of the game’s character classes, unlimited play time, and access to some new stuff as it becomes available. You’ll also have the option to upgrade to the full version at any time if you go the free route.
If you’re a current (or former) player, you’re not going to be left out of the party either. Current subscribers will be getting free grants of Cartel Coins and will also be getting some special qualifications for upcoming ‘in game’ events.
There will also be more updates and additions to the game in general as it moves forward- something that will benefit everybody who’s looking to keep the game fresh. To celebrate the free to play option, The Old republic will also be going on sale in August for $14.99 USD which will include one month of play time.
If you’re interested in joining the Jedi order (or the Dark Side for that matter), you can find out more about the free options for The Old Republic (as well as all the new stuff) here.
This is likely because the game has less than a million registered subscribers. EA seems pretty disappointed with it so far, and with good reason.
I don't think subscription MMOs will be around much longer. Too many good F2P options for anything but World of Warcraft to find an audience.
^ This. I'm no fan of MMO's to begin with (even WoW failed to hook me and I loved the Warcraft RTS'), but I can't ever imagine paying for one on a monthly basis.
I toyed with Final Fantasy XI for a while – it's been around for 10+ years on monthly subscriptions, and it's still well support and the content is there to justify the price. But I have no time for that kind of investment.
With so many games for so many people to play, I think we're moving to a model where people are casual players of multiple MMOs than a dedicated player to one.
Yup that's another thing- I've got little time for playing 'regular' games as it is.
And honestly? I really like starting and finishing a game. Open ended is just meh as far as I'm concerned.
I read about this the other day. I've been hearing rumors since three months after the release that this would eventually happen. I've been interested in this game for awhile – having avoided MMO's since giving up Warcrack about 2 1/2 years ago. But I'm a huge Star Wars fan and enjoy Bioware's games more than most, so I suspect the Force will come calling to me when this does make its way to Free to Play