NCsoft begins selling 14-day MMO trials at retail

NCsoft Europe announced that it has begun selling in the U.K. what it calls "starter packs" for some of its games – City of Heroes, City of Villains, Guild Wars, and Lineage II. Tabula Rasa will follow later in the year. The packs cost £1.99 at retail, and come with all game content plus a two week trial subscription period, encouraging players to return to buy the game at retail when the period ends.

This is essentially your standard 14-day trial — a staple in the industry — made available through retail for would-be subscribers who might not come across such opportunities on the web. NCsoft hopes that this move will net some new customers — especially for its struggling properties.

"In an ever increasingly digitally orientated retail environment, encouraging players to return to retail is a win-win for both outlet and publisher," said an NCsoft rep. We had heard that the whole digital download thing could be the saving grace of the PC platform, but whatever!