City of Heroes News & Events & Guides

Less then one month ago I proclaimed the pay-to-play business model was dead, since then more high profile MMO games have jumped ship and turned to the free-to-play model, two in the last 24 hrs. Below you can see that LEGO Universe will be moving to f2p this August and Fallen Earth announced it was going f2p last week.

Now City of Heroes, which will be renamed City of Heroes Freedom, will also be moving to f2p later this year, however will retain a subscription option. COH will also no longer require a purchase and will be free to download from the site.

Players currently with subscriptions, and those that pick the subscription option later, will become VIP members and will receive 400 CoH Influence month starting on their first billing cycle after July 1, 2011. These points can then be used to purchase items from the in-game Paragon Market. VIP members will also have full access to all areas of the game, items and receive content updates and expansions for free.

City of Heroes Freedom will launch with Issue 21: Convergence, which adds the First Ward co-op zone, gripped in mystical conflict, as well as the Time Manipulation Power Set, the IDF and Defense Costume Sets, and the Underground Incarnate Trial.

For more details, check out the official COH website.