14 DAY TRIAL // Trion Worlds intends to translate their sci-fi massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Defiance, to the free-to-play business format this summer on all supported platforms, just in time for the debut of the tied-in TV show's second season.
The change is intended to expand the game's user base, as the company believes that the best way to experience its content is by having other players around you, participating in the events, right now other players being a rare sight.
Trion Worlds CEO Scott Hartsman has assured the gaming world that there won't be any problems with the transition, and that the company does not intend to put up any paywalls or other such practices such as needing to pay for basic items.
"We have followed the same theory that we did for Rift, which is no tricks, no traps; you can play it from level zero to level whatever the heck our max is going to be, and we're not going get in your way. If you want to play for a year without ever paying us a dime, that's fine. Thank you for playing in our playground. We enjoy it. We're glad you're around," creative lead Trick Dempsey commented.
During the announcement, the possibility of Defiance making its way to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles has also come up, and Hartsman has said that for now, the combined user base for the two next-gen consoles is simply too small.
Sony's PlayStation 4 sold around 7 million units, and the last official info from Microsoft has revealed that more than 3 million units of the Xbox One home entertainment system were sold, making the combined 10+ million systems sold too small a base for a free-to-play game, like Defiance will soon be.
"Because the game is free-to-play, economics are a little different. We need larger numbers of players. I would definitely be looking for larger numbers of consoles to be out there for it to work. Show us the eight figures of installs and we would love to be everywhere," Hartsman told GameSpot.
If you want to learn more about the game or sign up to play Defiance, you can visit the game's website. Defiance will go free to play on June 4 on PC, July 15 on the PlayStation 3, and at an undisclosed later date on the Xbox 360 system.
Additionally, the second season of the "Defiance" TV show will air on June 19, on the SyFy channel.