It’s true and I am not sure how to take it. I have been playing SWTOR since launch and have yet to feel it was a wrong decision. I still enjoy each time I log on and feel as though I have made a connection with the game. As an MMORPG gamer, that connection is important.
With this news, one can take it two ways. One way is the obvious screams of horror as the ship starts to sink. Talk of the game dying and all that will become even more rampant. Free to play is the MMORPG’s curse many will say. At the same time you have four games that come to mind: Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, City of Heroes, and Star Trek Online. These four games were subscription at first and then went Free to Play. Upon doing this, they essentially saved their games. More people are willing to play for free obviously, because there is no risk. You see how the game is, if you like it then you might be willing to give them some money.
What exactly will be free? Well, pretty much the basics. There will be many limitations for free players, which you can unlock with Cartel Coins. These coins are the new currency that you can buy if you are a F2P player. Subscribers however get to access everything in the game without limits. They are also rewarded with cartel coins that can be used on all sorts of stuff. In fact, if you are a current subscriber, you will begin to get these coins that can be used when the game goes officially free this fall.
So, to me it looks like there’s enough reason to keep subscribing. Bioware is also promising more content updates starting in August. I am looking forward to what they have up their sleeve, like HK-51 as a companion.
For more information, you can follow these two links. SWTOR Free To Play and FAQ.