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Bombshell: End of Nations to be free-to-play
Conquering the world just got a lot more affordable, as Trion Worlds announced that its MMORTS End of Nations will be released as a top-notch free-to-play title. This decision means that players can not only obtain a copy of the client for free, but play through the solo, co-op, and the persistent-world multiplayer conquest modes as well. Trion's Dave Luehmann hopes this will give End of Nations a competitive advantage when it launches: "Being able to offer a premium game such as End of Nations for free sets us apart in this industry. At Trion, we strive to innovate online gaming while emphasizing the delivery of the best core gameplay experience available. Our decision to release End of Nations as a AAA free–to-play title is guided by these principles." Trion will be offering an optional subscription package and a game store to enhance players' experience. The store will sell customization and convenience items, and Trion has clearly stated that it will not be selling "pay-to-win items" through it. During our hands-on impressions from last year, we noted that the title was probably not best suited for a monthly subscription, so it's good to see Trion freeing the game from that business model. End of Nations will be available to players at this month's Gamescom.
Trion picks up David Luehmann to head third-party dev program
Trion Worlds has hired on games developer David Luehmann to take care of its third-party development arm, and Luehmann says he'll be working on "two, three or four more" titles for the company to develop and publish in conjunction with third parties. Luehmann formerly worked with Microsoft Game Studios, a division that knows quite a bit about dealing with cross-company development, having acquired Rare and Lionhead, as well as dealing with other developers like Epic Games, Double Fine, and lots of other solid game houses. Trion Worlds of course made and released the popular MMO Rift, and is currently working on an MMORTS title in conjuction with Petroglyph called End of Nations. Luehmann says that Trion isn't looking for any specific number of third party games to publish, but that the company is looking for "something that will turn into a fantastic experience" from a studio that's working on "connected" titles.
Age of Empires Online promises not to nickle-and-dime players
Love it, hate it or meeky accept it, the terms "freemium" and "free-to-play" come with a lot of baggage these days, sometimes to the point of overshadowing the game itself. When Age of Empires fans heard that Microsoft was going to be releasing an online version of the hit RTS series, some of the fans' enthusiasm was tempered by the word that it would adopt the popular freemium business model. Microsoft Game Studio's Dave Luehmann was on hand at Gamescom to assure players that the company isn't out to nickle-and-dime fans to skip parts of the game they don't like. Joystiq reports that they won't be adopting the same strategy as other F2P models. "I don't like to pay for things I don't like to do, that seems kind of backwards," Luehmann said. "So how about we produce things that people actually want?" Instead of purchasing a lot of little items, the studio will simply put up large chunks of content as one-time purchases. These might include a new civilization or an area containing a plethora of quests. Microsoft is still feeling out a fair price point for the additional content, but it pointed to the fact that Age of Empires Online will ship with more than 25 hours of completely free entertainment to enjoy.
Microsoft appoints new Games for Windows boss
Congratulations, Ron Pessner! You've been chosen by Microsoft to head up the Games For Windows Live division and step into the shoes of one Chris Early, who recently became the victim of our terrible "layoffs" tag. It says here you've come from the Entertainment and Devices division, and will be joined by Microsoft Games Studios' Dave Luehmann, who will oversee development and publishing for Windows games.That's right, Ron, they have games on Windows now. To be fair, you undoubtedly boast a keen awareness of the matter, as Microsoft claims to be pursuing success for its PC gaming platform with renewed vigor. According to a statement published on Gamasutra, the company hopes to further "invest in Windows as a first–class gaming platform through great Windows out of box experiences," not to mention a variety of online services like LIVE and MSN games.And hey, you're taking over at a point where Games for Windows Live is free. That has to be easier compared to the last guy.
