SWTOR going FREE TO PLAY this fall

Star Wars: The Old Republic Going Free-to-Play

Play up to 50 and with all the original race and class combinations.

Star Wars: The Old Republic will add a free-to-play option this Fall. Those who opt to play for free will have access to all the story content for all eight classes, and will be able to level a character all the way up to the current cap of 50. Some content will be restricted, though, and will only be attainable through paying a monthly subscription fee of $14.99 or using an upcoming in-game currency called "Cartel Coins" to make purchases (subscribers also get monthly allotments of Cartel Coins).

Paid content is said to include new high level content, new features and unlimited access. While free players will be able to access all the story content, they'll have to pay to access new content, as well as get additional bank slots and get unlimited plays in PvP warzones. Players who only play for free will be able to jump in warzones weekly, but only a few times before they're locked out of the content and asked to pay. Subscribers will have unlimited access to warzones.

EA cites "choice" as the reason for the switch, and BioWare GM Matt Bromberg said in an interview with IGN that the free-to-play decision is less about subscriber losses as much as it is the market:

"There has been some decline in our subscriber numbers, but I wouldn't say that's what's driving the decision...what's happened in the marketplace is that free-to-play has really become the market standard for MMOs and we felt like there were both potentially millions of new players who were Star Wars fans who never tasted the game because the subscription was a barrier. Our research also told us that a lot of the folks who we had earlier on who left the game would like to come back and try some of the new features and content that we've put into the game since they've left if the subscription wasn't a barrier. So we feel like the market and our players are telling us that greater access is what they want and so we're really responding to that.

Additionally, EA and BioWare say that the new free-to-play option will enable them to increase the frequency of content updates. The first of the new updates will come this August, alongside a temporary sale of The Old Republic for $14.99, which nets users both the game and a one-month subscription. The goal after that is to release content every six weeks, focusing on group content. Staff reductions have now occurred twice for developer BioWare Austin, once in May and again in the last couple of weeks, but Bromberg says the team they currently have will be able to handle the increased production. "We really have built a team around this newer and different model..so we think have the right team to do it and at the right numbers."

If you're a previous subscriber and decide to come back, you'll get benefits. Cartel Coins will be used to reward returning players, which you can read more about at the game's official website.

After BioWare was recently cited as "looking at free-to-play" this announcement doesn't exactly come as a shock, but is it enough to bring in the money the MMO needs to survive? Will you be playing it now? Let us know in the comments below.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/31/star-wars-the-old-republic-going-free-to-play
 
haha, oh well hope it does well for all the SW fans out there. I for one won't be going back.
 
Cool! Really been wanting to play but $ is the issue as I cant try before I buy.
 
too little, too late, to even care

if you want a truly FREE mmo, check out aion...no bullshit restrictions you have to pay for
because its still BIG in korea so they subsidize the US audience so we can play it all for free
 
Sounded great up until the "Players who only play for free will be able to jump in warzones weekly, but only a few times before they're locked out of the content and asked to pay"
 
awsalick said:
Sounded great up until the "Players who only play for free will be able to jump in warzones weekly, but only a few times before they're locked out of the content and asked to pay"
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sounds pretty fair to me.
 
I thought the problem was that it was a shitty game once you reach 50, not much of an MMO cause most of it is single player, then once you got to 50 there was insuffiencent content.

Does F2P change any of that?
 
HAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.


Just as I predicted. I said it would be Christmas. I was being too conservative I see :rolleyes:
 
cageymaru said:
Not really. When I tell my buddies about the restrictions they are going to say no and ask me what the release date is for GW2.
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You also have to consider that GW2 will cost $60 while SWTOR will be free. No reason not to try SWTOR if your interested in it.
 
I'll probably go back long enough to finish at least one of my characters. I quit when my marauder was 38ish and my sorc was 36ish.
 
Johnked6 said:
You also have to consider that GW2 will cost $60 while SWTOR will be free. No reason not to try SWTOR if your interested in it.
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if you want to PvP and do any high level content swtor will ask you to pay still. right in the article(s). but yes, it's free to level up.
 
lol, I might actually give this a try just for the single player elements. Beat the games on a couple classes and shelf it for good. I don't need to grind for end level stuff.
 
Game sucked ass. Release was shit, devs were horrible/incompetent, and there was zero to do at end game.

EA rushed the release thinking they'll have a cash cow no matter what. Now look.

Idiots.
 
If you approach it like a single player game, it's "ok".

If you approach it like it's an MMO.....epic failure on EA/BW's part.

The main storylines I liked, the dialgoue was great, but the endgame was just non-existant for me.
 
nesynb.jpg
 
The SWTOR forum's got its panties in a bunch over this. Like nobody saw it coming. Funny thing is the the usual cast of BW defenders that always denied it will go F2P are now defending the decision.
 
Kinsaras said:
Star Wars: The Old Republic Going Free-to-Play

Play up to 50 and with all the original race and class combinations.

Star Wars: The Old Republic will add a free-to-play option this Fall. Those who opt to play for free will have access to all the story content for all eight classes, and will be able to level a character all the way up to the current cap of 50. Some content will be restricted, though, and will only be attainable through paying a monthly subscription fee of $14.99 or using an upcoming in-game currency called "Cartel Coins" to make purchases (subscribers also get monthly allotments of Cartel Coins).
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Yeah, that fucking game needs yet ANOTHER in-game currency.

Climber said:
haha, oh well hope it does well for all the SW fans out there. I for one won't be going back.
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Neither will I.
 
This is good news for the people who just want to play it like KOTOR3 and go through the stories over the period of a few months. That part of the game is well worth doing and I would recommend it for people who need a Star Wars fix. Beyond that, it doesn't have a lot going for it.

It is surprising though. Warhammer failed far more miserably than TOR and still isn't F2P, so I never would have guessed they'd do it for SWTOR.
 
NKDietrich said:
It is surprising though. Warhammer failed far more miserably than TOR and still isn't F2P, so I never would have guessed they'd do it for SWTOR.
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It could be a smart move...perhaps if they move to F2P ahead of the curve, they can keep player populations up and keep it more stable, rather than trying to bring people back after they left. I'm willing to bet more people will stay going to this partial-F2P model than if they waited another 6+ months, lost a ton more people, and then tried to bring them back.
 
http://www.swtor.com/support/helpcenter/6526

if you're a subscriber and you switch over to free model your account will be downgraded.

What happens if I decide to change from being a subscription player to a Free-to-Play member? What will happen to my credits, inventory, bank items, and characters?

Your account will automatically be downgraded and it will operate under the Free player restrictions. You will need to choose what items to keep with you within the restriction levels of the free access. Furthermore, you will be able to see, but not use, your excess credits, inventory slots, bank tabs, and extra characters.

Hope this helps clear it up a little!"
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Now they just need to announce that they will actually pay me to play it and I would maybe be interested, anything short of that and they can keep it.
 
I'll go back to do co-op and finish my characters, but the limited travel options sounds...annoying.
 
http://www.darthhater.com/articles/swtor-news/21125-electronic-arts-q1-fy13-earnings-call

2:00: Call starts, introduction
2:03: Disappointing performance of Star Wars: The Old Republic was offset by powerful performance of Battlefield
2:07: Frank Gibeau will provide an update on SWTOR later in the call.
2:11: Lowered expectations in SWTOR, future outlook affected by it.
2:14: Giving people choice along side subscriptions should give people plenty of options and drive players to the game. Mentioned break even point was 500,000, SWTOR is well above that but under 1 million total subscribers. Offering two-tiered pricing plan in November. Cancelations: 40% turned off by monthly subscriptions.
2:16: SWTOR will retail for $15 along with a free month of subscription. Premium players: $15 a month, currency for boosts, customizations, and faster level progression. Free: players move at their own pace and comfort level, can buy new stuff when/if they want.
2:20: Our diversity allows us to make up for a miss on one franchise (SWTOR) with a hit on another (BF3).
2:24: Q&A starting now
 
Q1 FY14

Our second round of premium memberships failed to meet projections because of Planetside 2 siphoning off a large chunk of our core customers. We are currently discussing mimicking Sonys fps f2p model for the BF series. We at EA are committed to following all of the proven money making trends established by other trendsetting companies and using the cash we save from not innovating, on massive brainwashing ad campaigns instead.
 
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dremic said:
i think ima just play guild wars 2
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Well it seems that the only thing you're really going to be able to do is level from 1 - 50 in true MMO fashion. PvP is going to have a limiter unless you're subscribed which makes it a casual creature. Zero raiding unless you're a subscriber so no cool guild tag for you. Limiter on dungeons you can run unless you subscribe.

I just foresee a full fleet with 300 - 500 people online talking in general chat about how they would come fill the last 3 spots in your 20 man raid, but they didn't pay their $15 this month.
 
FLCLimax said:
http://www.darthhater.com/articles/swtor-news/21125-electronic-arts-q1-fy13-earnings-call

2:00: Call starts, introduction
2:03: Disappointing performance of Star Wars: The Old Republic was offset by powerful performance of Battlefield
2:07: Frank Gibeau will provide an update on SWTOR later in the call.
2:11: Lowered expectations in SWTOR, future outlook affected by it.
2:14: Giving people choice along side subscriptions should give people plenty of options and drive players to the game. Mentioned break even point was 500,000, SWTOR is well above that but under 1 million total subscribers. Offering two-tiered pricing plan in November. Cancelations: 40% turned off by monthly subscriptions.
2:16: SWTOR will retail for $15 along with a free month of subscription. Premium players: $15 a month, currency for boosts, customizations, and faster level progression. Free: players move at their own pace and comfort level, can buy new stuff when/if they want.
2:20: Our diversity allows us to make up for a miss on one franchise (SWTOR) with a hit on another (BF3).
2:24: Q&A starting now
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I can't believe I paid $70 for this. I had fun levelling my toon to 50 but it wasn't worth 70 bucks.
 
I still subscribe because my friend plays it and we're still leveling up some characters and doing lots of pvp together. I'm still having fun. We are in a guild also that is very casually working on the Ops(raids) they have so far.

Personally I don't think it *quite* deserves the incredible amount of trash talking TOR receives.. there really isn't any other MMO that I'm interested in (I got bored with WoW long ago.)
 
Was okay for about a month or a bit less. At the $60 I paid, I'd say it was worth it, but it really was disappointing. There was hardly any random world pvp (I saw 5 of the opposite faction during my leveling to 50). No fun raids to the opposite faction's cities. PVP has some horrible animation delays. I still feel I got my $60 out of it though as I got full PVP gear and did all the 5 (or was it 6?)-man dungeons with my friends.
 
Colonel Sanders said:
I still subscribe because my friend plays it and we're still leveling up some characters and doing lots of pvp together. I'm still having fun. We are in a guild also that is very casually working on the Ops(raids) they have so far.

Personally I don't think it *quite* deserves the incredible amount of trash talking TOR receives.. there really isn't any other MMO that I'm interested in (I got bored with WoW long ago.)
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The way the game works many players level solo as much as possible because of the way the story dialog works. By the time they hit 50 they don't have a clue what their class is other than spam maybe 3 moves that they used to level with. So they fail at the first dungeon they run, get called a noob, and quit.

When I raided we would designate people to be class leaders. Then we had those guys instruct the pugs how to setup their action bars, what every move did, and when to use them. I remember having a warrior in our group who was so bad that we actually stopped to make him proper gear to get past the boss where you fight your own class solo.

I blame this on bad game design where you encourage players to fend for themselves as it's annoying to group up because of people being on different parts of a story. Of course this is just my opinion. :)
 
cageymaru said:
The way the game works many players level solo as much as possible because of the way the story dialog works. By the time they hit 50 they don't have a clue what their class is other than spam maybe 3 moves that they used to level with. So they fail at the first dungeon they run, get called a noob, and quit.

When I raided we would designate people to be class leaders. Then we had those guys instruct the pugs how to setup their action bars, what every move did, and when to use them. I remember having a warrior in our group who was so bad that we actually stopped to make him proper gear to get past the boss where you fight your own class solo.

I blame this on bad game design where you encourage players to fend for themselves as it's annoying to group up because of people being on different parts of a story. Of course this is just my opinion. :)
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Meh, this is not my experience (or anyone else I know who plays) at all. And I don't get what you mean about conversations not being set up for multiplayer - they are, at least the non-class based quests. One of the best things about TOR is getting single player style dialogue where your friends can pitch in on the conversation (and you never know what choice they might make, which is part of the fun)
 
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