Lineage II Going Free-To-Play Later This Year

NCSoft has announced its popular fantasy MMO Lineage II will be switching to a completely free-to-play model "later this year," with the release of the Goddess of Destruction expansion. Unlike some other free-to-play MMOs, which offer tiered subscription structures or limited game functionality for free players, NCSoft stressed that Goddess of Destruction will place no limits on what in-game content is available to free players. Current subscribers will have existing game credits converted into the game's NCoin currency, which can be used to purchase items from the in-game store. These items will provide gameplay and convenience benefits, cosmetic character modifications and holiday-themed and promotional content, the publisher said. The new expansion will also include free "booster packs," in-game quests with powerful rewards that "help you progress more quickly toward the compelling new endgame content." Lapsed Lineage II players will be able to recover their existing characters for the free-to-play transition "in most cases," NCSoft said. The move follows September's launch of City of Heroes: Freedom, a free-to-play conversion for NCSoft's long-running superhero-themed MMO. In May, NCSoft made the decision to shut down the North American servers for the original Lineage after over 12 years, saying the game was "no longer financially viable in the West."