If you're looking for the next big thing in massively multiplayer gaming - like really big; multiple millions of players big - look no further. Sony Online Entertainment's Free Realms, a free-to-play, modern-fantasy, mini-game-heavy MMO for PC and later PS3, aimed at kids, is that game. It's the slickest, cleverest prospect due out in the next year - including the increasingly impressive Warhammer Online - with the broadest appeal. It is ruthlessly engineered for success, and it's going to be huge.
A lot has happened in gaming, especially free-to-play gaming, over the last decade. Nobody could predict just how prevalent it’s become, and how some of the biggest games on the planet – League of Legends, Fortnite: Battle Royale, World of Tanks, and more – are all free-to-play.
PSU looks at the emergence of free-to-play games and how it relates to PS3 and PS4.
The Koalition: "Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) hosts an annual event to celebrate their massive stable of free-to-play MMO games, as well as an opportunity for them to finally shed some more light on the next Everquest game. SOE’s library of current offerings includes: DC Universe™ Online, Dragon’s Prophet™, EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Free Realms®, PlanetSide®2 (review here,) PoxNora®, Star Wars®: Clone Wars Adventures™ and Vanguard® Saga of Heroes. With so many games on their roster, it’s no surprise that they host an annual event to celebrate the games and gamers. The event is being held at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Aug. 1 – Aug. 4, 2013."
SONY.... you are so generous....
Reasons:
1) a MMORPG is suited and targeted for "hardcore" players whom want the challenge and like the reward/expirience system. This game has only 10 levels and it catered toward kids like Disneyland.
2) They intend to make this game free to play per month. Sweet, but there are microtransactions on the side. How do you plan on getting kids to beg momma and daddy for trying to buy this new glowing axe?
3) At first SOE intended targeting the whole "family", but from looking at the media the levels/atmosphere look like something pulled out of Diddy Kong Racing meets Care Bears.
Even adults get sick of seeing nothing but rainbows...
Great Concept but once again a MMORPG can not be focused on the casual market for the game to pull profit. MMORPG's are and always will be for the "hardcore" gamer.
They Should really do what NCsoft did with Guild Wars and offer free online play with purchase of the game. Then release a whole bunch of add-on/sequels for a fee.