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APB gets nontraditional payments, beta due in 'weeks'

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Sep 9, 2009 11:58 am PT

Realtime Worlds said to soon begin closed testing phase for EA-published online-only open-world shooter for PC; hires specialist in hybrid subscription/virtual goods revenue.

Realtime Worlds' online-only open-world shooter APB continues to creep toward its anticipated spring 2010 launch for the PC, which means its beta-testing phase is imminent. Last month, the developer began taking applications for said testing window, telling interested gamers that the period would run over a period of several months leading up to the game's release.

Sometimes, just one Uzi isn't enough.

Now, it appears as if Realtime Worlds is on the verge of opening up APB's testing phase. UK gaming outlet Eurogamer reports that Realtime Worlds community officer Chris Collins has confirmed that the closed beta test will commence soon. "We're weeks rather than months away from starting closed beta," he reportedly said.

Though it accommodates up to 100 players in an open-world environment, APB won't be a massively multiplayer online game in the traditional sense. It also will apparently not follow the norms of an MMOG when it comes to payment models, either. According to a recent update to Realtime Worlds' Web site, "The price and payment model have not been finalized yet but we can say it won't be the traditional monthly subscription model." (Emphasis added.)

Though no additional details on APB's payment scheme were offered, Realtime Worlds has tapped Redwood City, CA-based Vindicia to manage the game's billing network. According to Vindicia, its CashBox platform lets developers implement a variety of business models, including subscriptions, virtual goods, and virtual currencies, and also serves as a fraud-prevention mechanism.

APB is an EA Partners venture, and development on the game is led by Dave Jones, better known as the creator of the monumentally successful Grand Theft Auto franchise as well as 2007's Xbox 360-exclusive Crackdown. Check out GameSpot's previous coverage for more on the game.

24 Comments

  • AnarchyRising

    Posted Sep 13, 2009 4:14 pm PT

    PLEASE man don't turn APB into a fu**in microtranny asian style game. That would ruin the game I've been waiting forever to play. Look at crimecraft. Virtual store, monthly fee AND microtransactions. And.... look how that went over...

  • cas11123

    Posted Sep 11, 2009 7:57 pm PT

    "You still need Gold to play Halo 3, GoW2, CoD4, Modern Warfare 2, Battlefield Bad Company and so on online. My point is that I still would have to pay double subscription to play other games." -smurfa1

    Uhh no, you're paying for Gold to play those other games online, not to play APB. You can't lump the two together like that. Say you got APB for PC instead, and you still had Gold, does that still mean you're paying double subscription to play APB on your PC? It's still costing you the same as it would on the console. The cost for Gold and the subscription cost are completely independent of each-other.

    The point is that you don't need gold to play APB online. The fact that you want to play other games online as well doesn't mean you're paying "double".

  • Kougeru

    Posted Sep 11, 2009 12:11 am PT

    "How is this different from CrimeCraft again?" no ones ever heard of CrimeCraft

  • NuKkU

    Posted Sep 10, 2009 4:19 pm PT

    this game looks quite weird

  • smurfa1

    Posted Sep 10, 2009 4:14 am PT

    In response to -Celeste-: Did not know that, but it does not matter anyway. You still need Gold to play Halo 3, GoW2, CoD4, Modern Warfare 2, Battlefield Bad Company and so on online. My point is that I still would have to pay double subscription to play other games.

    Did some research on the game's official site and I cite it: "Will there be console ports? Or a Linux or Mac client?

    We’re evaluating opportunities for a console port of APB but there’s nothing concrete to announce at the moment. There will not be a Linux or Mac version of the game."

  • Neogenic

    Posted Sep 10, 2009 2:04 am PT

    I don't know about this one. This game can go either way.

  • MidnightKilla

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 9:52 pm PT

    How is this different from CrimeCraft again?

  • metalkid9

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 8:19 pm PT

    this is just sounding ridiculous. I really don't know if I wanna pay to play.

  • DJ_2HyPE

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 7:09 pm PT

    I have high hopes for this MMO. So far this game looks like it might deliver. So many potentially good MMO's coming out soon but this one is on top of my list. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

  • Otoribashi

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 4:41 pm PT

    Nickel and dimed to death...

  • GeigerdolylWodd

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 4:12 pm PT

    penyada7
    Posted Sep 9, 2009 4:07 pm CT

    @smurfa1
    i think that they said pc only...
    but yeah i get your point would be pointless(to pay for xbox live & the games fee) , but hey ps3 owners would only have to pay the games subscription fee(if it comes to consule-cant spell) , bu t then again they do say intersting payment methods , or schme whatever. point is maybe they put some thought into this...and come up with something good...
    wicked



    No they did not you're the only one who said Pc only I did a Ctrl-F search and there was only one hit that said PC only and that was in your post.



    While its true this game launches for the PC first I don't recall them dropping the plans for the 360 version infact if they did its not only news to me its news to gamespot considering they still have a link to the X360 version. I'd think they' pull that link down if there were no plans to ever bring it to X360.



    Then again I guess the same could be said for Duke Nukem Forever.

  • GeigerdolylWodd

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 4:07 pm PT

    "The price and payment model have not been finalized yet but we can say it won't be the traditional monthly subscription model." (Emphasis added.)




    Though no additional details on APB's payment scheme were offered, Realtime Worlds has tapped Redwood City, CA-based Vindicia to manage the game's billing network. According to Vindicia, its CashBox platform lets developers implement a variety of business models, including subscriptions, virtual goods, and virtual currencies, and also serves as a fraud-prevention mechanism.




    Sounds good.

  • -Celeste-

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 3:50 pm PT

    You don't need Gold to play MMO's on X360 ... i don't know why people always make this correlation that you'd be paying twice. You pay for Gold to get the services from gold. FFXI required only silver, since that is your connection to Live, and then it was passed on to the POL servers and FFXI.

    Please quit spreading this information, it just give more fuel to the fanboy arguments that go on within these comment sections.

  • alexLmx6

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 3:36 pm PT

    free to play but with toll booths at certain doors, oh and character x can only be killed with the 29.99 silver bullets found in the store

  • 2buxaslice

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 3:08 pm PT

    If it wasn't just online only, I'd be interested. I don't want to continue to pay for a game once I've purchased it at the store.

  • Da_Chief_319

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 2:54 pm PT

    Wasn't there an Xbox 360 version planned? If it was, what's the status on it?

  • dundee85

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 2:20 pm PT

    Awesome. This game is being made in the city i live in, Dundee in Scotland

  • pwnzord

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 2:14 pm PT

    I really hope this interesting payment scheme isn't some damn free to play-pay for the items and equipment crap. I doubt it, but this is EA, next to Bethesda they are the kings of nickle and dime economics.

    My guess would be either a weekly, or an hourly payment plan, but quite honestly I don't see the reason why change it up. Monthly payment plans are hardly so egregious that you can't justify their structure. Perhaps it's because I've been paying for these games for the better part of ten years, but the value I know I can make out of them puts all other bills to shame.

  • penyada7

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 2:07 pm PT

    @smurfa1
    i think that they said pc only...
    but yeah i get your point would be pointless(to pay for xbox live & the games fee) , but hey ps3 owners would only have to pay the games subscription fee(if it comes to consule-cant spell) , bu t then again they do say intersting payment methods , or schme whatever. point is maybe they put some thought into this...and come up with something good...
    wicked

  • Mercenary848

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 1:46 pm PT

    I really want a console version

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