Free-to-play Xbox game Happy Wars hits 1.2 million players

Happy Wars is the first free-to-play game to be released on the Xbox 360, and so far it has been a very successful experiment. The cutesy online action RPG, developed by Japanese studio Toylogic, has been downloaded and played by over 1.2 million players since its launch in October. What’s there to say, people love free stuff.

[Belking]

Love this game. Really fun. Free to play on xbox is good.

[dazzrazz]

You can't play it without gold subscription so its not F2P at all

[Lvl_up_gamer]

If you already own XBL Gold, then yes it is free to play.

You also get to keep the game and play it's singleplayer campaign if you stop paying for XBL.

[Sp1d3ynut]

Just like all your "free" games with PS+ aren't really free...and you lose them, if you discontinue PS+...

[MasterCornholio]

So XBOVLive gold extends to FTP games?

LMAO those games are not really FTP if you factor in the subscription. Well at least there are some true FTP games on consoles like Free Realms, DC Universe Online and Dust 514 with the PC having the majority of them in the form of MMOs.

@Spldynut

Just like how the multiplayer player for 360 games are not free because you have to pay a monthly subscription to unlock the other 50% of the game that you bought which seems a bit unfair when on PSN, PC, Wii U, 3DS and Vita its free.

Anyways in my opinion a subscription for content (games, avatars, live wallpapers etc) is much better than having to rent the multiplayer of the games that you already bought.

Motorola RAZR i

[Hicken]

I think his point was primarily a rebuttal to all the "PS+ is a rental" remarks that get tossed up on every Plus article.

Simply put: if you haven't paid for XBLGold, you can't get this game. Following the logic applied to PS+ games, this game is, also, not free.

And before you say it, not ALL games are disabled once your subscription to Plus runs out.

(Oh, and you can STILL play online.)

[kreate]

Obviously sp1d3ynut never was a ps plus member. As well as the ppl who agreed him.

[Hingle_Mcringleberry]

I'm yet to download this, to those that have it, is it worth it?

[JohnApocalypse]

Its worth checking out, its free after all

[BanBrother]

Lol @"is it worth it".

Seriously though, I haven't downloaded it yet either. I heard it gets pretty good support (patches, updates etc) which is quite impressive, seeing as how most retail games and other big games abandon their MP like wankers.

I would also like to know if it is "worth it", so to speak.

[Old McGroin]

Never even heard of this! Is it only on the US marketplace?

Looks good though, might check it out.

[JohnApocalypse]

I hope with the next generation they will have more quality F2P games in simular to Tribes: Ascend and Planetside 2

[Captain Qwark 9]

i played it, realized why its free, never touched it again. this surprises me lol

[Knight_Crawler]

Why does it surprise you...just becuase you did not like it that does not mean millions of 360 user will feel the same way as you - you probably do not like Call of Duty but other people do and that the reason why its the #1 played game of PSN and Live.

I never understood why hardcore gamers think that they represent a large number if the gaming industry when in fact we are the minority.

Gaming if for all ages and the reason why the industry is still alive is becuase of the casuals who do not play Halo, Killzone or Call of Duty.

[iNathan]

Well pretty good numbers.

Minecraft is at 6m and its 15e

[Lvl_up_gamer]

I actually really enjoy this game. It's a time filler for me, but it is enjoyable.

Also being free always helps as well. I am really enjoying the mage.

[Sp1d3ynut]

It's pretty obvious this game is MS's way of testing the F2P model, prior to next-gen. They've not been able to get a proper MMO on the 360 this gen, and they know that market is too huge to continue to ignore.

[jessupj]

Didn't know MS's completely closed up system allowed FTP games.