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Star Wars: The Old Republic goes free-to-play on November 15
One question has been on the minds of Star Wars: The Old Republic fans recently: "Has BioWare announced a free-to-play date?" The answer to that question is finally yes. On Thursday, November 15th, SWTOR launches what Senior Producer Blaine Christine calls its "free-to-play option." Christine and Producer Cory Butler discussed F2P and Update 1.5 with us yesterday. They explained that BioWare is looking to expose its game to the widest audience possible, so it is allowing everyone to download the game for no charge, then play the level 1-to-50 game without having to purchase anything. The producers also gave us a tour of the SWTOR cash shop, called the Cartel Market, and introduced us to Cartel Coins, the cash shop currency. Read on for all the shiny details of the changes coming to SWTOR next week.
EverQuest's massive 13th anniversary and free-to-play celebration events revealed
In two days, EverQuest will not only be celebrating its 13th (!) anniversary and adding a sizable update to the game, but also will be making the jump to a free-to-play hybrid model. Since this is no small potatoes, SOE has planned a huge array of events to celebrate the occasion. The fun begins on the Plane of Knowledge, where players can enjoy 13 special quests that harken back to the greatest hits of EverQuest's history. There's also a new raid and the return of 40 events from previous anniversaries to keep everyone busy. The update has a new feature called the Hero's Journey, which is a guidebook that will lead players through a path in EverQuest. To make things even more user-friendly, EverQuest's map system will see a major overhaul that includes the ability to show you paths to your destination. Finally, SOE has an absolutely gigantic F2P conversion FAQ that covers nearly every conceivable question about the transition, including payment options and previous status in the game. EverQuest will go F2P starting at 3:01 am EDT on Friday, March 16th.
Lineage II awakens to free-to-play today
Got room in your stomach for another free-to-play adaptation? If so, NCsoft has a plump and willing Lineage II that it would like you to nibble upon, if you're so willing. The company announced that it was adopting a hybrid F2P/subscription model a month ago, and things have certainly picked up speed since then. Players can level all the way up to 99 without spending any money if they choose, and NCsoft has implemented a "Path to Awakening" system that will dole out new rewards for players going through this journey. Normally, a F2P transition would be a major update in and of itself, but NCsoft is coupling Lineage II's relaunch with the Goddess of Destruction update. It's even opened up a new server, Shilen, to handle the influx of freebies. This update comes packaged with additional zones, eight new classes, an auction house system, and more. A new website awaits those interested in Lineage II's next evolutionary stage. For players who don't mind investing some cash into the game, NCsoft is selling Exploration Packs starting at $5 to open up more of the game for funzies.
