NCSOFT together with developer Carbine Studios have today announced that the closed beta for MMO WildStar’s transition to free-to-play is now live.
In addition to stripping away WildStar’s previous premium business model, the new free-to-play update for Carbine Studios MMO will also bring with it a raft of new content too.
Some of this new content that players can expect to get stuck into includes:
· The Alpha Sanctum - A new instance that brings players into WildStar’s world storyline much earlier in the game than ever before. Featuring creative gameplay, a unique environment, and a compelling narrative, the Alpha Sanctum introduces players to the mysteries of Nexus in an unforgettable way.
· Madame Fay’s Fortunes - Discover all-new treasures with Madame Fay’s Fortunes, an exciting, randomized reward system that can turn a tiny investment into big, big loot with the help of everyone’s favorite Lopp fortune-teller, Madame Fay.
· New Player Experience - A revamped Arkship and arrival sequence welcomes newcomers to WildStar and offers everyone the option of choosing where to start their Nexus adventure based on their level of MMO experience.Character creation has also been overhauled, giving players a better understanding of the choices they’re making and the customization options available.
· Loyalty Program - Any player who has ever invested money in WildStar by subscribing to the game, redeeming C.R.E.D.D., or purchasing MTX items will now earn points in the game’s Loyalty Program. These reward points, which are also earned retroactively, give players access to additional gear, items, pets, mounts and more.
· Quality-of-Life - A multitude of quality-of-life improvements have been added, including a revamped sprint function, nav points to help players keep track of their next objective, daily player login rewards, and much more.
Speaking about the transition to free-to-play, product director at Carbine Studios, Mike Donatelli, was keen to get players testing the new content and model prior to release, saying:
“We can’t wait to have players get into beta and check out all the new content. Inviting players to test all these systems is key to our success. We’re looking to them to provide critical feedback that will enable us to launch free-to-play this fall.”
As it currently stands, the WildStar free-to-play closed beta is available to both current subscribers and non-subscribers. In fact, anyone can pop on over to the official site for the game and sign up for the closed beta by clicking on the handy “Sign Up For Beta” button.
In the meantime however, feel free to check out the teaser trailer for free-to-play WildStar below.