Proprietor of MMOs, and new Star Trek Online owner Perfect World has confirmed that Cryptic Studios is busy developing a new free-to-play business model for Star Trek Online.
Apparently, the ailing MMO will become free-to-play before the end of 2011.
Perfect World’s chief financial officer Kelvin Lau told investors during a conference call that “Cryptic is working on the free-to-play model for Star Trek Online.”
“So I think free-to-play model we have a bigger potential in US market and also in China market,” said Lau.
When Perfect World bought Cryptic Studios earlier this year, it acquired the rights to Champions Online, Star Trek Online, and also something called Neverwinter which is currently in development.
Star Trek Online was essentially a disappointing title which failed to gain any real traction in the MMO space, joining pretty much every other pay-to-play MMO to wilt in the shadow of World of Warcraft.
The free-to-play model has proven that it can be successful in recent years by drawing in a larger player base and then selling in-game items, as evidenced by Lord of the Rings online which doubled its income after going free-to-play.
Whether or not free-to-play will be enough to save Star Trek Online remains to be seen.
Star Trek Online going free-to-play this year << Comments and views
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