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WildStar becomes the latest MMO to shift to free-to-play
Subscription models just aren’t what they used to be. These days, unless your name is Blizzard Entertainment, requiring players to shell out $10-$15 every month is a laughably misguided way to monetize your game.
NCSoft’s WildStar has finally learned this lesson, and the struggling MMO has announced an end to its subscription model and a shift to free-to-play that will occur later this Fall.
As with some other free-to-play games like Star Wars: The Old Republic and Planetside 2, WildStar will still offer a monthly subscription option with will offer a few perks over non-paying players. This includes increased XP and items drops, as well as bonuses to crafting.
Unlike The Old Republic, which has been criticized for its incredibly restrictive free-to-play model that requires cash to unlock even basic UI elements like action bars, WildStar promises that the full game will be available to all players.
“We place no restrictions on any of the game’s content,” the developer said in a blog post. “Every zone, every dungeon, every raid, every battleground… they’re all available. All players will be able to create characters of every race, class, and path while choosing any tradeskills they like. Characters can achieve level 50 and path level 30, just as they can under the current system. There are some restrictions on services and social functions, however, as noted in the table below.”
The game will also feature a new premium currency called C.R.E.D., which can be purchased for real money or obtained through drops in-game. The currency can be used to unlock cosmetics and other items in the new cash shop that will be launched alongside the new free-to-play model, and it can also be used to purchase game time to obtain subscriber benefits.
In addition to subscriber perks, there will be a new Loyalty Program that rewards players with certain perks for loyalty points, which are acquired through various means such as purchasing a retail version of the game or subscribing for a certain number of months. The perks from the Loyalty Program include less effective versions of subscriber benefits such as increased auction limits and bonuses to XP and crafting.
More details about the Loyalty Program will be released at a later date.
Image credit: WildStar-Online.com
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