Free Realms passes 8 million sign-ups

SOE MMO Free Realms is entering scary-large territory, with more than 8 million users now signed up.

Newly added features such as player housing have driven the growth, the publisher said today.

“Free Realms is more than just a virtual world for our players; it is a portal for imagination. A place where players transform their house into a jumping maze for friends to compete or a petting zoo that boasts all their pets,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment.

“Our job as developers is to listen to and predict what they want and give them the tools that inspire and compel them to share their experiences with 8 million others.”

Free Realms is a "family friendly" affair which launched last April. It pulled in more than 2 million sign-ups in a month, rising to 3 million by June.