wraggster
August 26th, 2012, 13:14
Happy Wars, an adorable multiplayer action combat game, just got even easier to try out. Microsoft announced that it will release ToyLogic's game as XBLA's first for-real free-to-play game. When Happy Wars launches this "autumn," it'll be a free download for Xbox Live Gold users, supported by the purchase of "lavishly rendered items" to customize your character.
Microsoft has made moves toward free-to-play on XBLA before, but never quite closed the deal. Crimson Alliance seemed to be embracing a free-to-play model, but instead just had a glorified demo (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/07/psa-free-crimson-alliance-download-isnt-the-full-game/) and "flexible" pricing (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/22/crimson-alliance-may-have-price-flexibility-at-launch/). Dungeon Fighter Live (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/04/dungeon-fighter-live-punches-up-xbla-on-july-13/) is based on a F2P PC game, released on XBLA as a $10 purchase. Rumors had Microsoft adjusting infrastructure (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/11/rumor-ms-adding-free-to-play-games-to-xbox-live-in-2012/) to support F2P last year.
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/24/happy-wars-to-be-xblas-first-free-to-play-game/
Microsoft has made moves toward free-to-play on XBLA before, but never quite closed the deal. Crimson Alliance seemed to be embracing a free-to-play model, but instead just had a glorified demo (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/07/psa-free-crimson-alliance-download-isnt-the-full-game/) and "flexible" pricing (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/22/crimson-alliance-may-have-price-flexibility-at-launch/). Dungeon Fighter Live (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/04/dungeon-fighter-live-punches-up-xbla-on-july-13/) is based on a F2P PC game, released on XBLA as a $10 purchase. Rumors had Microsoft adjusting infrastructure (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/11/rumor-ms-adding-free-to-play-games-to-xbox-live-in-2012/) to support F2P last year.
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/24/happy-wars-to-be-xblas-first-free-to-play-game/