Age of Conan Going Free-to-Play
Funcom's MMO to adopt a familiar pricing model.
US, May 24, 2011
Age of Conan developer Funcom has announced that its low-fantasy MMORPG will be switching to a hybrid free-to-play model, akin to the sort of model used by Lord of the Rings Online, EverQuest II Extended and Champions Online. Funcom is no newcomer to the free-to-play scene, in fact they helped pioneer it in the western market when Anarchy Online switched to an advertisement-supported model in 2005.
Ads wouldn't fit the Age of Conan universe, of course, so AoC is instead turning to the tiered-pricing models adopted by others, where players may still subscribe to the game for a monthly fee and gain access to everything they normally would, or can spend "Funcom Points" (bought with real money) to purchase specific items such as consumables or recipes, or access to a new dungeon or territory. Or they can play without spending a cent, though there are typically limitations on conveniences such as mail, chat, and the number of characters allowed on an account. Side-areas may be locked out. According to Game Director Craig Morrison, the subscription price will not change, and that the price of microtransactions will be in line with other free-to-play MMOs.
Funcom Points are already in use for Funcom's free-to-play competitive multiplayer online arena game Bloodline Champions, so Bloodline Champions players will now see their point stockpiles doubling in usefulness.
The switch should come as no surprise to those who have followed the game's history. When Age of Conan launched in 2008, players were met with a gorgeous game with an impressive combat system and an intriguing story. Then players hit level 20 and the content began to peter out. Quests became sparse and only grinding seemed to be the way to progress any further. This jarring drop in content density was likely one of the reasons for Age of Conan players leaving in droves just months after the MMO's launch, causing massive server mergers.
The switch to free-to-play has been timed to coincide with content that crosses over with the Conan film debuting this Fall. Funcom hopes that the popularity of the Conan film will drive players to their MMO, and with no barrier for entry (other than the necessity for a pretty powerful PC to get the most out of the game) the hope is that these players will find themselves hooked on the world of Hyborea, with its big swords, muscles and boobs.
Morrison believes the reaction from the Age of Conan community will be mostly positive. "In fact there has been some of our community who have been actively calling for us to [go] free-to-play for just those reasons since the turn of the year." Thought, he admits, there may as always be some in the community who "will take exception." He's adamant that this change is a win-win for everyone. Existing players will see new life breathed into the game, and new players will get to explore Hyborea at no cost.
What this means for Funcom's in-development MMO The Secret World is unclear. Morrison wasn't able to comment, though, in answering a separate question, he did say that Funcom "have always felt that it is a natural progression for an MMO title at a certain stage in its life cycle." It seems likely that The Secret World may launch with a subscription cost for as long as it is economically viable.
Going to play Age of Conan when it drops the cost? Let us know below.
Age of Conan Going Free-to-Play
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Lonesamurai
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Lonesamurai
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