While we all knew it was just a matter of time, Bioware and EA have made it official that their MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic. will be going free to play this fall. “Players want flexibility and choice. The subscription-only model presented a major barrier for a lot of people who wanted to become part of The Old Republic(TM) universe,” said Matthew Bromberg, GM of BioWare Austin.”
It’s been clear since the beginning that The Old Republic just wasn’t living up to the lofty expectaations set on it before its release. That issue has only ramped up in the past few months as people have been dropping their subscriptions left and right. There are some bonuses in store for you guys that have stayed subscribed before the free to play enhancement hits, however. The press release announcing this change says it best:
“Current and former players will also find additional benefits as part of this program. BioWare will be increasing the frequency of game content updates, with the first of many new releases coming in August. In addition, current subscribers will receive Cartel Coin grants and qualify for access to special in-game items. Even former players who re-activate now will qualify for special benefits.”
On top of all that, coming this August, you can buy The Old Republic for the small price of $14.99. I think I’m making a safe guess in saying that EA and Bioware really want you to try out The Old Republic, and for 15 bucks, why the hell not?