One of the biggest stories in MMO gaming this week is Turbine's decision to add a free-to-play business model to "Dungeons & Dragons Online." When you think about it, the reveal isn't that big of a surprise. Free-to-play MMORPGs are one of the fastest growing segments of the video game industry. Why WOULDN'T a developer prefer to have at least some kind of presence in that sector?

If you're like me, you're probably wondering if Turbine plans to do the same with their other titles, "Lord of the Rings Online" and "Asheron's Call." Speaking to Massively, Adam Mersky, Turbine's director of communications, said there are no plans to do so. He explains " ... we looked at 'DDO' and thought this game is pretty perfect for this model. The style of gameplay, with small group instanced experiences, makes it easy for us to lock off and allow players to purchase access as they need it. Where as 'LotRO' is a much different, open world with a traditional experience that doesn't lend itself to this type of model."

Still, Adam believes the future of MMORPGs involves free-to-play, or at least hybrid models, essentially explaining that its best to not put all your eggs in one basket, and that it's good to experiment.

Ya know, I really like hearing this kind of information. Yay for job security!

Posted by Kyle Stallock
June 12, 2009

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