Star Wars: The Old Republic Going Free to Play
EA just announced that the Sci-Fi MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic, or SWTOR for short, will be going Free to Play this November.
It appears that EA plans to offer two different options for players, the base "Free" version and then a Subscription option. Those that opt to not pay anything will have full access to all class driven story content up to level 50 but will have limited access to some areas and be completely restricted from doing any of the games "Operations" (SWTOR's term for Raids).
EA did say they would introduce a new currency called Cartel Coins, which players could purchase with real money. This currency will be used to remove some of the restrictions imposed on F2P users but no word as to what yet exactly. Besides removing restrictions, the currency will also be used to purchase in-game items, gear, and other standard cash shop items. Unlimited access including higher-level content and new features will be available through a standard subscription option.
Check the official SWTOR site http://www.swtor.com/free/features for the full list of subscription vs. free features and let us know what you think of them in the comments below!
Related Articles
Discussion (83)
Read Next
Firefall isn't out of closed beta yet but that isn't stopping Red5, the studio behind Firefall, from pumping out massive updates.
You May Enjoy
The event is underway on Xbox and PlayStation.
It’s an early version, so things may change.
Parents will be able to remotely view their child’s account and monitor access to chat features.
Expect some of the usual suspects in the multiplayer categories.
The game sucks, simple as that.
Big download, rest of my majority is Pay to Play.
Now I find it hard to recycle cans and bottles cause I have none.
If you do not like it then do not play it.
It is as simple as that isn't it?
You get to play the majority of the game for free.
Some content is still locked but if you really want to unlock it just pay.
Look at it like an extended trial instead of it going free to play.
And it is not hard to get money for a subscription, i could even make enough from just recycling cans and bottles.
they'll crash and burn soon enough...-hopefully-
So what? You can't get passed 50 to the max level? Or you can, but the Story Content just ends at 50?
I prefer the 2nd then the 1st one, lvl50 max sucks.
when they open new lv cap, the free players will be discarded like trash
and see wht happen to DCUO anyway ??
those restrictions r unnecessary indeed. but i think, in my opinion, that soon after the swtor "f2p" release they will go fully f2p.
but i guess the moment that happens, the ingame shop will kill it...
We need to learn the definitions in the mmorpg community. There is a difference between MMO; MMORPG; MOBA; etc.. There exists a difference between a persistant online DEMO vs an actual free to play model.
Its more like an endless trial anti-virus, trial Microsoft word, trial plants vs zombies, trial zuma, etc.
F2P>P2P> (all other random/odd models) >trial games with pay.
I think SWTOR has one of the worst models ever, you'll just be pissed cause u can't raid, can't hunt on a restricted area with OP drops, or quests or events only(mostly) held there, and the ol OP cash items.
If you are thinking why F2P is on top, reason, League of legends, HON, DOTA2(I think), but im pretty sure about LOL and HON, with no cash influence, purely purely cosmetics.
I haven't thought of a good phrase yet, I wish someone can, I think I can call it Free-to-drool(in the essence that u get jelly of other ppl), or Fraud-to-play(in the essence that it may be free, but u will only get the good stuff if u pay)
"We couldn’t be more pleased with how the diversity of our business allows us to make up for a miss on one franchise with a big hit on another."
-Magicman
Subscribers will always be in login queues ahead of free players."
They're dreaming of login queues with these restrictions lmao. Such a failure...
it free to try with limits
free to play 100% of the game with cash shop
free to try limited classes... areas..... lvl ..... ect
dont let the game company say free to play when it not
ps. I'm also waiting for raiderz, bring on august 8th!! woot!!
play the story and uninstall the game if u dont want to use real money.
@CliX only Eu Aion had this limitations, how i know.
im waiting for RaiderZ (CB 09.08), hope PW dont destro it with the cash-shop.
GL and HF.
P.S. this game was called WOW killer, but falled down and will become freemium... anyways THIS IS BULLSHIT. :(