Dungeons & Dragons Goes Free to Play
It seems that Turbine is looking to get some more players into Dungeons & Dragons Online and are targeting the penny-pinching crowd. The free DDO is going to happen just right now, you will have to wait until they release Eberron Unlimited later this summer to get your Dungeons and Dragons fix. The new version is going to be a hybrid version and allows players to download the game for free, but there will be some limitations between the DDO VIP and the Free To Play (FTP). In DDO Eberron unlimited, players can still subscribe and gain unlimited access to the game, along with a few other perks. Turbine could be onto something very interesting here, as there isn't much use of the Hybrid model in MMOs; Free Realms is the closest comparison out there.
I will probably give the free to play version a try; I was very excited when Dungeons and Dragons Online first came out. I got fed up with the monthly payments and gave up after a month or two. Now with the launch of new content (even though some of it will be restricted to the VIP players). Here is a list of the details and an image comparison of them as well (thanks to Massively.com)
- Brand New Content & Features - DDO Unlimited will deliver a new class, increase the level cap, introduce new adventure packs including a new 12 player raid, major combat improvements and more!
- The Fiercest Combat - DDO Unlimited features an extraordinary and heart stopping combat experience that requires players to fully engage in the battle by relying on their wits and reflexes in real time. No more clicking skills and watching the action from the sideline.
- Mind-blowing Visuals - Explore a vast and dangerous online world, featuring the most advanced graphics in the industry, that is stuffed with the legendary monsters, glorious treasures, devious traps, mind-bending puzzles and endless adventures from the world's best known RPG.
- Full-featured MMO - Experience sophisticated systems found only in the best games including auctions, arena death matches (Player versus Player), NPC hirelings, gambling, crafting, and powerful social tools for finding a group, forming a guild or planning an epic raid!
- Easier Than Ever! - DDO Unlimited gets you playing in minutes instead of hours, using new proprietary Turbine technology. Creating a new character is incredibly simple with guides and templates that speed you through the process. Features an all-new new player experience that gives gamers their first taste of excitement quickly while teaching them how to play solo or with a group of fellow adventurers.
