Trion Worlds have announced the MMO shooter, Defiance, is abandoning the one-time purchase fee and adopting an entirely free-to-play system on PC and PS3. While it never required a monthly fee, those interested in playing the SyFy show tie-in game no longer need to purchase the product. Simply install, strap on the biggest guns you can find, and hose down alien scum. The free-to-play model launches June 4th on Steam, with a PS3 fix to be "following shortly."
Plans for the Xbox 360 version of the game are still in development.
Players will still be able to subscribe to the game to gain the "Paradise Patron" service, offering boosts to experience, skills, and other choice bonuses.
Those players who purchased the game before the new free-to-play service rolls out will receive ample benefits as early adopters, including an influx of cash, additional character slots, loadouts, and more.
Trion's other MMO, Rift, adopted a free-to-play model back in June 2013. The MMO market is a terribly complicated place right now. Most of these games have been in development for years (development for Defiance began in 2008) when attitudes about MMOs were radically different than when the games finally launched.
The second season to the TV show airs on June 19th. Combined with the free entry into the game, perhaps June will see the influx in Defiance's user base Trion is hoping for.