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Anarchy Online expansions now free

By Patrick Caldwell, GameSpotPosted Jun 28, 2006 8:38 am PT

Developer also announces five-year anniversary of AO, says special in-game events to come; gamers still must pay an expansion-pack monthly fee.

Almost two years ago, Anarchy Online developer Funcom took a chance, giving away its seminal massively multiplayer online role-playing game and stripping it of its monthly subscription. That plan must have rubbed Funcom the right way: To celebrate the five-year anniversary of its MMORPG, the company announced yesterday it would begin giving away all four of the original game's expansion packs. Although the boxed versions of the games are now free, gamers who upgrade are still required to pay one monthly subscription fee whether they own one or more expansions--$14.95 a month or a discounted $95.40 a year. In addition to the new freebies, Funcom said it will host several in-game celebrations and events to mark Anarchy Online's five-year date. "[T]he continued success of the free and ultimate sci-fi MMORPG is a testament to how an online game can be honed and improved on an ongoing basis," Funcom CEO Trond Arne Aas said in a news release.

16 Comments

  • Xenon2050

    Posted Jul 20, 2007 8:05 pm PT

    I wish a MMO would charge a base of $5 a month and a $1 for every 10 hours played a month to a max of $15. Or you can do their normal plan... Such as this one for $95 a year.
    Its just for me, a lot of the time I get busy during the week and I hate paying $15 a month or however much it is a year and then missing out on playing. Sometimes I can only play a few hours a week...

  • steelhead2264

    Posted Mar 7, 2007 11:10 am PT

    This is might not have the best graphics but at least its not WoW! Dam those who play WoW need to get a better life!

  • XitachiXUchihaX

    Posted Jun 29, 2006 1:25 am PT

    .... this isn't anything new. Ive been getting emails from them telling me to upgrade for free. Then it says in small print I still need to pay the monthly fee. HaHahHahahaha right..... i'll play for this game.

  • Xanyao

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 5:52 pm PT

    I agree with Raventhorn, I hope they have some Idea like that for the new Marvel MMO thats coming out.

  • BounceDK

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 1:11 pm PT

    I got my guy to level 136 and then I got bored with it. It was the free version however, and it was quite fun while it lasted.

  • strahd01

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 10:55 am PT

    LoL I have had a free account since they started this yet I don't think I have played more than 10 mins of the game and I still get there newsletter

  • slow-pc

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 9:39 am PT

    Well.. I was a tester and bought at launch and tested again....

    Still a fun game and i will be reinstalling it again.

  • acesion

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 9:38 am PT

    The customer gets stiffed most of the time because if you look at thier proffits and divided it by how many customers they have they are making about 12 bucks proffit per person on a 15 dallor per month subscription. At least thats true for WoW. And they have probably the best support for thier game of all the mmo companies.

  • 0N1_L3G3ND

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 9:35 am PT

    I personally didnt like this game at all, prefer WoW by a lot, but at least this game is free.

  • AlexJ-

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 9:33 am PT

    In the long run, with the monthly fee, it seems they'll make the money right back, but like squarephreak said, at least you get something free.

  • squarephreak

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 9:13 am PT

    Hey, at least you get something free.

  • Raventhorn

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 9:04 am PT

    With the amount of money the games cost to develop and maintain I am affraid to say that it won't probably be the norm for MMO gaming. With that said, with so many games out there that are trying to fit in their little nook of the pie, its going to make it hard for new games to emerge and make money. I think there has to be a different model. I think a game like Neverwinter Nights if done right, could change the way we game. IMO most people just want to hang with their friends and play a game together. That is why the cry for coop modes in games is so high. If you could get a game together that would have graphics and depth of an Oblivion yet support group play (like Neverwinter), you have something that could change the landscape. Add some features like they have for cheap and you have a great model for making money with less investment.

    In any case congrats on making it to five years...hobbled and limping.

  • skemaal

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 9:01 am PT

    Free software but you still have to pay a monthly fee.

  • Donkeljohn

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 9:00 am PT

    The expanding reach of Anarchy is free. . . who would have thought? I wonder if it will catch on, like wildfire.

  • skemaal

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 8:56 am PT

    Hey cool first post...

    Well I enjoyed the bit of Anarchy Online that a played. I just don`t have time for it right now. Perhaps someday. Congrats to Funcom for 5 years of Anarchy. Will some other publishers follow the same pattern funcom did, hope so. I could save a game IMO

  • rykh

    Posted Jun 28, 2006 8:54 am PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

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