Dungeons & Dragons Online going free-to-play

When Turbine Inc. announced the start of the beta for Dungeons & Dragons Online's newest major upgrade, Eberron Unlimited, the developer also dropped a bombshell: The massively multiplayer online game will receive a free-to-play option for all its current and future players.

The upgrade, slated for this summer, will allow players to download and play the game free of charge, with revenue coming from microtransactions. Current subscribers will automatically be enrolled in its VIP program, which includes exclusive access to additional races, adventure packs, locales, and the upcoming monk class.

Moreover, current subscribers will get "priority access" in the closed beta of the new DDO Unlimited upgrade, which began today.

Players who choose the free-to-play plan are encouraged to buy additional content, such as potions, equipment, and adventure packs via the new DDO Store, which coincides with the release of the Eberron Unlimited upgrade. VIP customers will accrue Turbine points each month, which can be used at the store to purchase virtual goods.

DDO Unlimited will offer more than 100 updates, skills, quests, feats, and enhancements. It will also raise the level cap to 20, introduce the monk class, and add more than a dozen new dungeons.