City of Heroes going free-to-play route

In the past year alone, Lord of the Rings Online, EverQuest II, and Fallen Earth have announced plans to drop their subscription fee in favor of a free-to-play model. Even Half-Life creator Valve now stocks free-to-play games in its Steam storefront and is preparing a free-to-play game of its own. Today, another longstanding massively multiplayer online role-playing game announced it will also adopt the new business model.

City of Heroes--which launched some seven years ago--will be rereleased later this year under a new name and free-to-play business model. The game will go by the title of City of Heroes Freedom, and it will allow gamers to either play for free or pay a subscription fee and become a VIP member.

Free accounts will allow gamers to create up to two characters, choose from eight classes, and level their characters to a maximum status of level 50. Further, free accounts can take part in raids and venture to 45 zones. For the full side-by-side comparison of free versus VIP, check out the official City of Heroes Freedom page.

Inspired by comic books, City of Heroes lets players assume the role of a superhero and fight a variety of villains in the fictional metropolis of Paragon City. Players can customize their heroes with a variety of costumes and items and hundreds of different superpowers, skills, and abilities. They can then form alliances with other characters, create secret headquarters, and fight evil to become the top superhero squad in the city.