Dungeons & Dragons Online goes free-to-play

Turbine has announced that Dungeons & Dragons Online will go free-to-play this summer.

With Eberron Unlimited (DDO Unlimited) players can download and play for free with the ability to purchase additional content and items to enhance experience, or join the VIP program which has unlimited access to all premium content plus exclusive benefits for a monthly fee.

"Historically, players of free online games were forced to sacrifice the quality of their experience,” said Turbine president and CEO Jim Crowley. "Those days are over. The new DDO Unlimited is the most innovative, exciting and graphically rich MMO to ever hit the free-to-play market and it changes the very nature of what it means to be free-to-play."

To find out what the new price packages are, read on after the break.

Dungeons and Dragons Online Eberron Unlimited to Launch With Unlimited Free Play and In-Game Store

WESTWOOD, MA – June 9, 2009 – Turbine, Inc., the premier creator and operator of massive, persistent online worlds that foster powerful social gaming communities, today unveiled Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited (DDO Unlimited), a free digital upgrade that makes DDO Unlimited the world’s first free-to-play massively multiplayer online game (MMO) to offer the quality graphics and robust features previously only available in premium subscription based-games. Launching this summer, DDO Unlimited will introduce an innovative new business model that is designed to provide an extraordinary experience to players who want a choice in how they pay and play online games. Players can download and play DDO Unlimited for free with the ability to purchase additional content and items in the new DDO Store to enhance their experience. Alternatively, players can choose to join the new DDO VIP program and gain unlimited access to all premium content plus a number of exclusive benefits for a single low monthly price. Turbine has launched a new website at http://www.ddo.com where players can learn more about DDO Unlimited and signup for the Beta program which launches today.

“Historically, players of free online games were forced to sacrifice the quality of their experience,” said Jim Crowley, President and CEO. “Those days are over. The new DDO Unlimited is the most innovative, exciting and graphically rich MMO to ever hit the free-to-play market and it changes the very nature of what it means to be free-to-play.”

Turbine’s New Game Offers Players Unlimited Choice!

• Free means Free! – Players download and play DDO Unlimited for free by visiting www.ddo.com and within minutes can be exploring a rich, beautiful and dangerous online world crawling with legendary monsters, glorious treasures, devious traps, mind-bending puzzles and endless adventures from the world’s best known RPG. There is no time limit or level cap on free play.

• Visit the new DDO Store! -- The DDO Store is loaded with hundreds of convenience items as well as premium dungeon packs, additional character slots, hirelings (hired muscle), potions, character customization and more! The DDO Store is seamlessly integrated into the game play and lets the player identify new and exciting ways to enhance and customize their experience.

• Be a DDO VIP! – Players who elect to subscribe to DDO Unlimited will have unlimited access to every premium adventure pack, receive priority server access, 10 character slots, a shared bank slot, and a monthly allotment of 500 Turbine Points to spend in the new DDO Store.

DDO Unlimited is the award-winning massively multiplayer game with the best combat of any MMO. Entering DDO Unlimited is a snap using Turbine’s new proprietary delivery technology. Now players can download DDO Unlimited in minutes and immediately begin creating their own character to battle through one of gaming’s most immersive online worlds. Featuring the industry’s most visceral combat system, DDO Unlimited puts players into the heat of battle with full, real-time control over their character’s movement and special attacks. Only DDO Unlimited delivers premium experience for free with many innovative features, including DirectX 10 graphics, action-based PvE and PvP combat, quests that provide a unique, immersive experience whether you play solo or with a group of friends, and advanced social networking tools that let you participate in a large and vibrant online community.

DDO Unlimited is based on the world-renowned DUNGEONS & DRAGONS franchise of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., under license to Infogrames Entertainment S.A. Published by Atari, Inc., DDO has been enthusiastically received by many gaming critics, including The New York Times, PC Gamer, Game Informer and many more. For the latest information, please visit www.ddo.com.