14 DAY TRIAL // Phenomic, as the developer of the title, and Electronic Arts, as the publisher, are announcing that their BattleForge real time strategy title, which is playable exclusively online, has become free to play. All those players who are interested in the title can click a button called Play 4 Free on the website of the game, battleforge.com, in order to start downloading it.
The two entities are saying that the Play 4 Free version of the videogame offers full access to the BattleForge experience, with all the scenarios, maps, campaigns and the community features accessible. The only clear limitation is that Play 4 Free only allows access to 32 of the 200 trading cards that can be acquired in the game.
Those players who enjoy the experience offered can opt to purchase points online, using real world money, in order to use them to buy new cards, increasing the options they have in the game. Players who opt for the retail edition of BattleForce have an advantage, as for 29.99 dollars, they get access to a selection of cards from all the four factions in the game and an additional 3,000 points, which can be used to receive even more cards.
BattleForge is an interesting concept. Players use the cards that they have to summon a variety of fantasy creatures, which then battle on the various maps that the game offers. Some of the cards are not creatures but special powers or buffs. Players can either engage in co operative play or they can go up one against the other in scenarios that support up to 12 people.
Another Electronic Arts title will be launched as free to play, Battlefield Heroes, which is currently in beta. BattleForge probably made the switch because of low initial player numbers but Battlefield Heroes has been built from the ground up with support from advertising and micro transactions in mind.