Play DC Universe Online For Free
I had thought that DC Universe Online would finally be the MMO that would suck me in, but it turned out that even my love of comic book super heroes couldn't convince me to pay a monthly fee to play a game I'd already spent $60 on. (Also, I wasn't wild about my hands-on playtime with DCUO at E3) However, Sony Online Entertainment has revealed that in late October, DCUO will adopt a new free-to-play model.
This new structure will include three access levels:
Free: New players will now have access to the current gameplay in DC Universe Online (including Gotham City, Metropolis, and all current raids and alerts), with the ability to create two characters, join a league and many other benefits. Free level players will be able to purchase downloadable game packs/updates, additional character slots, powers and more through microtransactions.Premium: Any player who has spent at least $5 USD (including former paid subscribers and new players who have purchased $5 of in-game items) will qualify for the Premium access level. Premium level players will have more benefits available to them than the Free level player, including additional character slots, additional inventory slots, and higher cash limits. Downloadable adventure packs, additional character slots, and more can be purchased in-game.
Legendary: Maximum features and benefits are included at this level. Loaded with enhanced additional features, Legendary access will be available for a $14.99 USD monthly fee and includes all DLC packs at no cost, more than 15 character slots, more than 80 inventory slots, the ability to form unrestricted-sized leagues, and many other benefits.
But I'm still not sure that it would be worth it for me, even free-to-play. I mean, I've heard that it's really hard to get into an MMO because they're very cliquish and I don't think I would play enough to keep my teammates happy. I'm not that dedicated.
Edited to add: As was pointed out to me, DCUO will also be a free download as well as free-to-play each month. I guess I didn't read Sony's press release that carefully! So in light of that, perhaps I will give it a go. So any advice on how to tackle an MMO would be greatly appreciated. (And now I feel bad for anyone who dropped $60 and has been paying monthly when the game first came out. Hopefully Sony will toss them some free character upgrades or items or whatnot to make up for it...)
Wootini
Posted to Video Games on 26 September 2011
· Comments (5)
Other stuff like this: dc universe online, free to play, mmo, pc, ps3, sony online entertainment
I don't dedicate myself to MMOs as much as the average raider in, say, WoW, but I still get a lot of enjoyment out of the game. The good thing with modern MMOs is that there is often a lot to do outside pure grinding and progression. Sometimes I work on my professions a whole day, or explore the vast areas for various things I might have missed. There also exist players who doesn't raid on a weekly basis but instead does it when they feel like it.
That's how I play anyway. I play to feel the world, the lore behind it and to get to know all the amazing characters, both players and NPCs, while just enjoying the ride. That is, until I hit end-game. I fear that my curiosity of raids will get the better of me and force me into the endless grind for gear. I shudder at the thought since I hate when games start to feel as chores. But until then, I'm blissfully unaware of the wondrous(?) world of raiding.
Uh, not to be rude or anything, but the same Playstation Blog article also states that the game will be free to download from the Playstation Store. So hey, no need to pay for a copy at all.
Thanks, ShagsterP... I completely missed the wording in Sony's press release that said you could DOWNLOAD and access DCUO for free. Fixed!
You shouldn't worry about letting team mates down Wootini... because DCUO is the least team orientated MMO I've ever played...
Instances mostly consist of auto-matching with 3 other random people (whom you will only need for the last boss) and then you can go about your own grinding business until the finale.
If you're interested in joining a League when you do finally take the plunge, I've got a Clique that'd be happy to have one more :D