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[Nirolak]

Though, it seems you can play on the European servers from the U.S. judging by the pop up I received looking at the site.

Aion goes free-to-play in February 2012
By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 14 December, 2011
"We want to reinvigorate the world."

Fantasy MMO Aion goes free-to-play in February 2012, NCsoft has announced.

From February you'll be able to download the full version of the game for free and play without any subscription costs.

NCsoft has partnered with Gameforge, which will be responsible for running the game across all of Europe.

The switch to free-to-play was made, NCsoft said, to boost player numbers in Europe.

"In the last few months the lands in Atreia have become more and more deserted," Gameforge wrote on the new Aionfreetoplay website.

"We want to reinvigorate the world of Aion and attract new adventurers to the towns to take to the skies as Daevas."

Gameforge has launched a new FAQ that details how the switch will work and how it affects existing players.

In May this year the huge Empyrean Calling update for Aion was released. The patch 2.5 added a high quality graphics option and new character faces.

We're now on update 2.7, which added a new PvP arena and a new raid.

"We have worked hard with NCsoft to develop a fair free-to-play model for new players as well as the current community," Gameforge's executive director Alexander Rösner said.

"In the future we will of course continue to develop new content and extend it, working in close cooperation with the players."

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-12-14-aion-goes-free-to-play-in-february-2012

 

[Ken]

I'm surprised it took them this long to go F2P.

 

[C_H_T]

In the end, every MMO will be F2P.

 

[Nirolak]

I'm surprised it took them this long to go F2P.

I feel that Aion's stature makes this extra notable.

This is also probably why it is a regional shift.

 

[Zeouterlimits]

Vaguely recalling this looking a bit nicer than most MMOs.

Shall check it out.

 

[DieH@rd]

Sweet. I've played chinese beta, maybe now i will play a little more of it.

 

[Hasemo]

Uh, I know it's for the best of the game (at least in Europe), but seriously, the Metin2 guys?

 

[hamchan]

I bought this on steam a long time ago and never played it

 

[Keyouta]

Will play it again if it goes F2P in Canada. I don't think I've touched it for a year and a half.

 

[Maffis]

I should try it again. They did some huge fixes to the slow grinding in the game, but I quit before they were implemented.

 

[Ignignort]

I feel that Aion's stature makes this extra notable.

This is also probably why it is a regional shift.

Whoa 3 million people ~ still playing this, didn't realise it was at all popular

 

[Diablohead]

As a launch day player who stopped playing about a year ago now I am happy to see it turn free, Aion had a bumpy ride but some of the latest updates were most welcome like more xp to cut the grind down, better drop rates (games drop rate above level 35 used to be so stupid, now it's reasonable)

Aion is well worth trying for free, the first half of the game is 10 times better then the later half however.

 

[Card Boy]

All these MMO's going F2P and yet Square Enix hasn't taken the hint with FF14.

 

[Brazil]

I feel that Aion's stature makes this extra notable.

http://www.abload.de/img/subs-1xfrw8.png[IMG]

This is also probably why it is a regional shift.[/QUOTE]

Wow, the game's way more popular than I thought. Do we have any kind of Rift numbers?

 

[_woLf]

lol, and yet the weaker NA community still has to pay.

This game had so much potential, but it had possibly the worst management and the worst community team I have ever seen in the gaming industry. I'm so glad I stopped paying for this garbage months ago.

 

[Nirolak]

Wow, the game's way more popular than I thought. Do we have any kind of Rift numbers?

To an extent: http://users.telenet.be/mmodata/Charts/Subs-2.png

These are based off of statements and fiscal reports, so we haven't seen Rift's numbers in about half a year.

 

[TGMIII]

To an extent: http://users.telenet.be/mmodata/Charts/Subs-2.png

These are based off of statements and fiscal reports, so we haven't seen Rift's numbers in about half a year.

I actually can't stop laughing at the warhammer line.

 

[Erasus]

Aion is a great game as of 2.5

New graphics, more quests, less grind

I am not 50 on any of my chars tho, have not played since 2.5 hit and I tried for a month.

Awesome, awesome news. Aion is a great MMO.

 

[Queen of Hunting]

are they actually updating to cry engine 2 like they said or was that a lie like alot of updates with this game ??

 

[Erasus]

are they actually updating to cry engine 2 like they said or was that a lie like alot of updates with this game ??

They never said that... They said they would upgrade the engine with new effects AND THEY FUCKING HAVE. THEY NEVER SAID THEY WOULD UPGRADE TO CRYENGINE 2.

But its still Cryengine at the core. Looks much better than at launch.
http://youtu.be/1abY7VYcKv4

 

[2San]

I feel that Aion's stature makes this extra notable.

http://www.abload.de/img/subs-1xfrw8.png[IMG]

This is also probably why it is a regional shift.[/QUOTE]

Holy shit Aion was more popular than Lineage 1 and 2? That game does not deserve that. The game was marketed pretty well I guess, shame NCsoft screwed up the release.

 

[nicoga3000]

Aion is a great game as of 2.5

New graphics, more quests, less grind

I am not 50 on any of my chars tho, have not played since 2.5 hit and I tried for a month.

Awesome, awesome news. Aion is a great MMO.

How much less grindy? I tried playing again a few months back and was turned away by how slow the grind felt [still]. Your post feels a bit contradictory on itself.

Also, if the PvP ganking wasn't SO ridiculous in the Abyss, I would have stuck with it. When the game first dropped, I was going strong until the Abyss. I ran FT like mad, but I hit a point where I almost had to go out there to farm exp. It resulted in many max level toons swooping in and killing my mid-leveled weenie.

 

[Deadly]

Seems like NCSoft is going F2P with all their games. Lineage 2 just went F2P lately also. NA Aion can't be too far behind.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

I feel that Aion's stature makes this extra notable.

http://www.abload.de/img/subs-1xfrw8.png

This is also probably why it is a regional shift.

I'm kinda shocked Aion had 4 million subs. It must be really popular in Asia

 

[The_Monk]

I never played again a MMO in fact I only played one, don't even remember the name..!

But I was interested in Aion when it came out as well as Rift. They seemed good looking. What's the word with Aion, any good?

 

[Dr. Acid Avatar]

The problem I have with these F2P MMO's is that I end up spending fuck loads of cash for all of those damn a la carte features. I guess I just wish MMO's would follow the Guild Wars model where you just pay for stand-alone/expansions and get full access to that content. I know they have a lot of maintenance costs to deal with which is why I'm not really bitching about it. I'll probably end up checking out Aion too.

Edit - Kind of off topic I'm sorry but didn't EQ2 become fully F2P just the other day?

 

[RPGCrazied]

I have the retail disc, the one with the expansion. I did sub for like a month, but just ended up canceling. Now if its free, I might come back.

 

[Buttons]

I always thought Aion looked interesting (apart from the grind).

But the one thing that put me off the game was the inconsistency of immersion. I love costumes and vanity pets and stuff but some in the game just look off.

And Aion was always praised for the huge character creation. But that's actually the thing that bothers me with the game. You have so many options that there are ugly and totally unproportional characters running around the place. You can make some really amazing characters but for every beautiful one there are a few horrible ones. Kinda disappointing, I prefer games with a solid art direction for the characters more.

 

[lupinko]

In the end, every MMO will be F2P.

Even WoW?

 

[luffeN]

Seems like NCSoft is going F2P with all their games. Lineage 2 just went F2P lately also. NA Aion can't be too far behind.

For which region?

 

[Deadly]

For which region?

All except Korea? There's an Euro server so I assume it includes them.

 

[Castor Krieg]

All these MMO's going F2P and yet Square Enix hasn't taken the hint with FF14.

It's been F2P since the time it launched---SNAP!

Anyway, it will go back to F2P soon, S-E decision to start billing before the big 2.0 revamp is mind-blowing. Watch the numbers tank S-E.

 

[Diablohead]

How much less grindy? I tried playing again a few months back and was turned away by how slow the grind felt [still]. Your post feels a bit contradictory on itself.

Also, if the PvP ganking wasn't SO ridiculous in the Abyss, I would have stuck with it. When the game first dropped, I was going strong until the Abyss. I ran FT like mad, but I hit a point where I almost had to go out there to farm exp. It resulted in many max level toons swooping in and killing my mid-leveled weenie.

It's like twice as fast now but don't expect it to be easy to hit cap, it's still a bit of a grind but then most mmo's are.

Daily quests and quests in general also received a rather big exp boost, it's a much better ride to the top now.

 

[Metalmurphy]

Reason enough for me to go back. I never did reach max level with my Spiritmaster. Game was great but I have a really hard time justifying monthly fees -.-

 

[Luigiv]

Oh cool. I've always wanted to try out Aion.

 

[jiggle]

NA too i hope
i'd get it if only to play around with character creation

 

[Alrus]

Aion is not even that grindy compared to other NcSoft's mmo (it's still grindy as fuck, and not only speaking about monster bashing here...). Still it's unbalanced and the PvP stops being fun after a while. And for a while there was a massive lack of high level content.

Anyway the game is still really popular in Korea, so that explains the huge numbers of subscription.

 

[Boss Doggie]

So Guild Wars is and still be the only MMO unique enough to require only a single purchase of the game, then play it for a long time then?

 

[2San]

So Guild Wars is and still be the only MMO unique enough to require only a single purchase of the game, then play it for a long time then?

Guild wars is hardly a MMO though. Not hating on GW or anything. I think GW2 is a proper MMO.

 

[Brazil]

To an extent: http://users.telenet.be/mmodata/Charts/Subs-2.png

These are based off of statements and fiscal reports, so we haven't seen Rift's numbers in about half a year.

With all the post-release support and constant patches the game has been getting, I'm going to guess it didn't drop quite as hard as Warhammer.

 

[Boss Doggie]

Guild wars is hardly a MMO though. Not hating on GW or anything. I think GW2 is a proper MMO.

Still, I'll purchase GW2.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Just saw its for Europe only. I like the game, but won't pay monthly for it. I tried, but couldn't make it. Looks pretty though.

Do you think it'll be free in America soon? It seems like the way to go with MMO's these days. F2P model with cash shop.

 

[perfectnight]

Sub fees are so early/mid aughts. I wonder how long until TOR goes f2p.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Sub fees are so early/mid aughts. I wonder how long until TOR goes f2p.

I wish.

I think even WoW has one in the works, or maybe they already do? I think you can only level to 20 though, still no time restrictions.

 

[thetrin]

I wish.

I think even WoW has one in the works, or maybe they already do? I think you can only level to 20 though, still no time restrictions.

Yeah, 1-20 is free. That's not following the regular f2p model, though. F2P games tend to have microtransactions and let you play everything else for free. WoW just makes everything in 1-20 free, and then everything afterwards requires a sub.

Guild wars is hardly a MMO though.

Which is why it's awesome.

 

[B.K.]

In the end, every MMO will be F2P.

Except Final Fantasy XI and XIV.

 

[Blast Processing]

Except Final Fantasy XI and XIV.

I can't for the life of my figure out what the stick up SE's ass about taking these F2P is. Can't the see the record profits other MMOs are making?

 

[Keyouta]

NC Soft also announced that Aion is going free to play in NA:

http://truly-free.aiononline.com/

 

[Lupin the Third]

NC Soft also announced that Aion is going free to play in NA:

http://truly-free.aiononline.com/

Shame there's no details on dates or anything that I can see. However the flexibility of the "truly free" play does sound majorly appealing!

http://truly-free.aiononline.com/truly-free/index.php

 

[Deadly]

Definitely interested. Will try it out