Age of Conan free trial keys giveaway!

By Oli Welsh Published 2 April, 2009

20,000, for US and EU servers.

Funcom's fantasy MMO Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures launches its free trial scheme today, and to celebrate we've got 20,000 exclusive free trial keys to give away.

There are 10,000 keys for European servers, and 10,000 for servers based in North America. Anyone is free to play on either group of servers, although you will have a better play experience if the server is closer to home.

Each key comes with a seven-day free trial of the game and three exclusive in-game items: the Totem of Origins (a teleport back to your home city from anywhere in the world after level 20); the Bag of Holding (all MMO players will know how important extra bag space is in the early levels); and the Enruned Kosalan Ring (a "very powerful" item that increases the damage you do).

Head over to the European giveaway page or the North American giveaway page to claim your free trial keys. You'll need to register with Eurogamer first - don't worry, it's free, and you can sign up now.

Age of Conan was launched in May last year amid a storm of hype, but quickly fell foul of the expectations of players, who felt it was unfinished and lacked content in the middle and later levels. It also fell foul of our own re-review - but we've come some way towards forgiving it now.

Since then, Funcom has been working hard to improve Age of Conan, adding new content throughout the game (notably a brace of new dungeons, and the Ymir's Pass zone), enhancing the player-versus-player combat with its own levelling and consequence systems, improving the siege warfare, making crafting more worthwhile, and of course attending to stability and performance with several rounds of bug-fixing.

Additionally, Funcom has just patched in the long-promised DirectX 10 support - and in the near future will be overhauling the game's itemisation and RPG system so as to give loot-hungry MMO players the gear, and the sense of character development, that they expect and deserve.

"I am very proud of the efforts that have been undertaken since launch to address the various issues identified by our players, as well as the improvements and additions that we have made to the game," said game director Craig Morrison.

But you don't need to take his word for it. Head over to today's article by Eurogamer's Age of Conan correspondent Rob Fahey - who has stuck with the game through thick, and more importantly, thin - to see why we think Age of Conan is worth giving a second chance. (You might also want to check out the Age of Conan gamepage for all our articles to date, including a character class guide that will be useful for anyone starting out in the game.)

Come to that, you don't even need to take Rob's word for it. Go and grab yourself a key and see for yourself!

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (70) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DFawkes #1 3 years ago

    iokthemnokey put me off this, but I'll give it a go and see for myself.

  • Benno #2 3 years ago

    I am going to check it out and see how it has changed since launch

  • viper_h #3 3 years ago

    No thanks!

  • iokthemonkey #4 3 years ago

    :)

    Give it a try. I won't be, but hey, you might like it.

    Just be ready for a step-back in time with a lot of aspects of the game design though.

  • Slabbathepave #5 3 years ago

    If i could try the free 7 days with my old account instead of having to make a new one i might be interested too. Why are they giving access to the first part of the game (which always worked) if they are trying to win back the customers that left? I want to see the changes they have made with my lvl 80. 7 days is not enough to lvl a character to 65 in order to check out the new zone either....

    I want to like and play AoC but i have to be able to justify my return, or i will feel like the fool i probably am.
    Edited by 2 at 02/04/09 @ 11:25

  • Freylis #6 3 years ago

    @Slabbathepave It seems you can use it with your existing characters. Just get yourself a key, log into your account, and register the key with it. It should add 7 days to your subscription.

  • Slabbathepave #7 3 years ago

    @Freylis

    In which case i think i'll have a nother snoop around Hyboria

    ty Freylis

  • iokthemonkey #8 3 years ago

    Make sure you also have a third party uniinstaller/clean-up programs, as the retail release left crap all over your HD/Registry when you uninstalled it.

  • Slabbathepave #9 3 years ago

    @iokthemonkey

    Hehe....I hope you are happy one day soon monkey...i do. Whatever AoC did to you or your family i am sure only time can heal. Perhaps it might be time for you to have another go at it? It is free after all, you might find that they have done enough to make up for the obvious horror it caused you last year. Worst case scenario? you hate it still, only you come away with more ammunition for your campaign of HATRED!!!!!!.

    *note; caps entirely uneccassery

  • iokthemonkey #10 3 years ago

    Is it hate to warm a child not to stick their hand in a fire, or to pull a pedestrian out of the way of a car?

    I'm just making sure people know what to expect.

    And no, I'm done with AoC.

    The problem is there are fundamental design mistakes - like the limited size of the game world, horrible zone lines, zones with swathes of NOTHING in them, terrible combat balance, exploit-riddled PvP, terrible itemisation, dungeon crawls with no loot, badly designed quests and a whole host of other problems that STILL haven't been addressed.

    I'll stick to playing good games, thanks. :)

  • DFawkes #11 3 years ago

    Is it really 26 gigs? 26? I'd get impatient and sub to WAR again long before that finished. I'll keep the key for a rainy day (which will probably soon), but I can't see me going for that.

  • Gnort #12 3 years ago

    I would give it a try, but I'm on capped internet, so downloading 26 gigs is simply not an option.

  • rodpad #13 3 years ago

    Meh.

  • poopmonster #14 3 years ago

    You can order the box from Amazon for £3.99 lol, but you're still going to have several gigs of patches (I haven't played for 6 months and it's *trying* to download 3 gigs)

  • poopmonster #15 3 years ago

    @anduz

    The clock starts ticking as soon as you activate your account, which you only need to do when you're ready to play.

  • poopmonster #16 3 years ago

    download speeds are reasonably btw, I'm getting around 350k/s (virgin 20MB)

  • stepneg #17 3 years ago

    @Freylis

    Thanks, might actually bother to install it again then given I can carry on where I left off.

  • Slabbathepave #18 3 years ago

    I just tried the free trial serial on my existing account and it doesnt work. For shame. The dream is ended.

  • iokthemonkey #19 3 years ago

    I just tried the free trial serial on my existing account and it doesnt work. For shame. The dream is ended.

    ----

    Why not just resub?






    BWAHAHAHAHAHA

  • Slabbathepave #20 3 years ago

    @iokthemonkey

    Nevaa!!

  • rogueJT #21 3 years ago

    13GB. fuck that. My max speed is 300kb/sec and that's optimal. Plus I'm onyl supposed to have 30GB per month but that's not really enforced.

  • Slabbathepave #22 3 years ago

    It would appear that Funcom may have given up on the people who know better and are now trying to hook a new batch of hapless chumps with that impressive 'first 20 lvls'.

    Until i get invited back, for free, to have another go with my existing account, Funcom can lick the sweat drips from my balls.

  • GlassMoon #23 3 years ago

    26 Gig for a trial, you have to be kidding me!

  • poopmonster #24 3 years ago

    >>I just tried the free trial serial on my existing account and it doesnt work. For shame. The dream is ended.

    Thanks for pointing that out. Patching cancelled...

    Seriously stupid marketing, just goes to show Funcom still don't know shit about what people want.

  • iokthemonkey #25 3 years ago

    Hang on:

    So if you want to "come back" to AoC, you have to start a new account, as this isn't valid for existing/dormant accounts, right?

    Okay, you play for your week and decide you want to come back. So now you can either re-activate your old account or start paying a subscription for your new one.

    Doesn't anybody see the flaw there? Existing players have to either abandon all their previous characters and give-up these "exclusive items" they've been given for taking part in the trial OR play their trial characters, who lack the cash/experience/standing of their old ones.

    Har-har-har.
    Edited by 1 at 02/04/09 @ 16:03

  • Slabbathepave #26 3 years ago

    @iokthemonkey

    It would appear to be that way yes. AoC wants me to hate it, it feeds on the animosity of others. Just when i feel myself opening up to it and i look forward to having another go it kicks me in the nuts and runs away giggling.

  • iokthemonkey #27 3 years ago

    See? I was just ahead of the crowd on this one. :)

  • Slabbathepave #28 3 years ago

    I cant help myself, i miss Cyclone of Steel.

  • iokthemonkey #29 3 years ago

    Yeah, well next time just remember: IOK IS ALWAYS RIGHT.

    Even when it appears different.

    :)

  • stepneg #30 3 years ago

    Well if I can't reactivate my existing account with this I won't bother, my first month on WAR is nearly up as well so I will just start a sub with that. Thanks for saving me the hassle of finding that out the hard way.

  • Plewt #31 3 years ago

    They say it's free but it will cost you a headache!

  • swills #32 3 years ago

    This is great timing. Something to do for a week while waiting for Ulduar. :)

  • makeamazing #33 3 years ago

    "NAMMO" (Not another MMO)...not sure i need to try and play another, seems that the keys are going down very slowly, so i have a few days to decide.

  • Benno #34 3 years ago

    where are people getting 26 gigs from? my download is 8gb

  • FortysixterUK #35 3 years ago

    I think the big point here is the offers been up for quite a long time and there's still 9500 of 10000 free 7 days offers left.
    No ones interested.
    Except me, I'm going back.

  • Benno #36 3 years ago

    I just played it for 10 mins and logged off bored. Lasted longer than LOTRO atleast

    I just dont have time for these MMOs these days i dont think

  • Benno #37 3 years ago

    Why are people throwing 26 and 13 gb out there?

    Its 8gb

  • DFawkes #38 3 years ago

    8 gb isn't as bad. But is that after patches? I got the impression it patched up to 26 after installation.

  • paulf #39 3 years ago

    the first 20 levels are worth playing, but they are more of a single player game than a multiplayer one

  • foamy #40 3 years ago

    The full install IS 26gb. The trial may be less though. I installed from the disk (yes, I bought it :| ) again yesterday, it took quite some time to install, but the patching was as quick as it could be, with an average of 600/700KBps of download. Pretty decent if you ask me, despite the size of the patches.

  • mkreku #41 3 years ago

    It's 13 GB for me.. will take a while to download, that one.

  • TheDudesRug #42 3 years ago

    8GB, 16GB, whichever it is, they must be high if they think people are going to flock to that in the UK for what is generally considered to be a mediocre game. However, I hope people do pick it up if only to push the genre forward. Not likely.

  • Plewt #43 3 years ago

    However, I hope people do pick it up if only to push the genre forward.

    And we do that by supporting the worst products? You deserve a smack with the Darwin(and logic) hammer.

  • iokthemonkey #44 3 years ago

    As of today, 730 people have taken them up on the offer.

    That's doubled the game's population then.

  • TheDudesRug #45 3 years ago

    You can do what you want, princess. You have clearly misunderstood my point, but no doubt will cover that with aggression.

  • Ornithophobe #46 3 years ago

    where are people getting 8gb from ? the only file I've found is 13gb (which is too much)

  • Plewt #47 3 years ago

    You can do what you want, princess. You have clearly misunderstood my point, but no doubt will cover that with aggression.

    No I didn't.

    Rest easy I don't have an actual hammer.

  • Slabbathepave #48 3 years ago

    9303 Trial keys left after 2 days.

    R.I.P AoC

    A real shame because i sincerely hoped it would at least carve out its own little niche so i could go back and play it when it was finished. It's been approaching nearly a year since the games release and even now it doesnt have even half the things mentioned on the back of my retail copy.

    My morbid fascination with this car crash of a title continues.

  • BrokenSymmetry #49 3 years ago

    I'm also fascinated by this: After 2 days only a fraction of the free trial keys have been claimed. Does really nobody want to play this?

  • Plewt #50 3 years ago

    Why would they, you'll get more out of staring at a wall.

  • Slabbathepave #51 3 years ago

    @Plewt

    What about AoC bothers you?

  • actionfitz #52 3 years ago

    just.
    no.

    ---
    edit
    ----
    I watched an interview from GDC over at mmorpg.com with craig morrison and heconfirmed that sometime after this trial shenannigans they will be doin the same thing for players who played then left, just not right now i guess...

    but still...
    No.
    Edited by 1 at 04/04/09 @ 12:46

  • Plewt #53 3 years ago

    Funcom's shenanigans more than anything really. Two examples would be outright lies like promising just a week before launch how DX10 would be implemented or how they billed people who had terminated their subs for another month.

    But also their inability to get the most basic things done right and then not even being able to fix it afterwards. "Hello why are these stats not doing anything?!"

    All in all it just felt like a giant sham.
    Edited by 1 at 04/04/09 @ 12:42

  • élbéróss #54 3 years ago

    would be nice if the download size was clearly stated, i really want to give this a go but only got a max 2mb connection. still around 8-16 hours left lol, going to have to give up.
    but I would never pay a monthly fee to play any game so you won't be missing me AoC, good luck tho.

  • Ornithophobe #55 3 years ago

    damn patcher locks up my network connection after about 100mb, have to disable and re-enable it to get it working again. Not doing this for a 8gb download. Worthless piece of junk.


  • richensw #56 3 years ago

    I was going to grab one of the trial keys, but then I noticed fileplanet are doing a 14-day trial. So I went there :p

  • Bleh #57 3 years ago

    "I was going to grab one of the trial keys, but then I noticed fileplanet are doing a 14-day trial"

    Isn't that the US version?

  • richensw #58 3 years ago

    "Isn't that the US version?"

    I had to choose my country (UK) and it says it's the EU trial - "Age of Conan Trial EU"

    I haven't actually logged in yet as the client is still downloading.

  • mkreku #59 3 years ago

    I got one of the EU keys, followed the link to the client download.. and 13 hours later I found AoC Trial US version on my hard drive. Great.

    Tried it anyhow (on a US server) and it's.. just not good. The graphics are fine and it runs well on my 4870-powered rig. But the game. The combat is bad, there's no world to move around in, the quests doesn't grab me in any way (might just be my personal opinion) and the equipment is so underpowered compared to every other game I've ever played that I switched daggers four times from level 1-10 and I never noticed any difference! They look the same and they deal the same amount of damage.

    I got six days left of my trial, but I don't think I'll be returning.

  • warlockuk #60 3 years ago

    Mmmm, desperation.

    So, have they made the game not-shit yet or reduced the price to something rational? I want some excuse to go back and finish playing :(

  • redstuff #61 3 years ago

    Im lovin it!

  • romelpotter #62 3 years ago

    I have a key, I think I will sell it on Ebay......

    Damn

  • M\'z #63 3 years ago

    wow... a lot of haters here!
    Everybody knows this game was shitty when it first came out. It didnt take long before my copy turned into a pile of dust. But clearly, only a few of you knows how good this game is today. I was one of you...
    After reading forums all over, i decided to return... And i gotta say, this game has turned from a regular rock into a gold-necklace, henging around Jessica Alba¨s face!

    As much as i hate Funcom for stealing my money early on i say to you:
    Dudes/dudettes, give this a second chance.
    Edited by 1 at 07/04/09 @ 23:51

  • Darkjinxter #64 3 years ago

    Yeh, it's worth a second chance, but how on Earth Funcom expect punters on piddly-arsed BB connections to suffer what is likely 24 hours of downloading, thus a day wiped off their 7 days, and still hope they'll see the light after that initial annoyance beggars belief.

    I'm currently subbed, enjoying the game, but even I can see it will take a lot more to bring Hyboria up to speed.

  • Blacknimbus #65 3 years ago

    Fortunately, I don't have a cap on my internet (yet), so I let it download overnight.

    I'm guessing things are a lot smoother than they were at launch, because my first impression is that it's an interesting looking game. I've only gotten as far as making 3 different characters and running them into the city, but the combat feels less detached than Warhammer did and the avatars and casting/fighting emotes are far less clunky.

    I may actually give this a few days, since I'm not playing much of anything at the moment.

  • Atropos #66 3 years ago

    Well, I liked the game even in the old days, though I could see why people were disappointed - but I had to stop playing as real life kicked in. Now I'm definitely planning a return...

  • Vaughan422 #67 3 years ago

    I just re-rolled on the Crom server after a long break, and i must say i had forgotten how much this game totally freakin rocks. and its running sooo smooth... The combat is so fast and hard. I still see great things for this game, imo its far from over. In fact its only just really starting to get going...

  • iokthemonkey #68 3 years ago

    9303 Trial keys left after 2 days.

    R.I.P AoC

    A real shame because i sincerely hoped it would at least carve out its own little niche so i could go back and play it when it was finished. It's been approaching nearly a year since the games release and even now it doesnt have even half the things mentioned on the back of my retail copy.

    My morbid fascination with this car crash of a title continues.

    ----

    Tell me about it.

    There are still 8758/10000 European keys and 9817/10000 US ones available.

    That's seriously embarrassing. I'm starting to almost feel sorry for Funcom.

    Almost.

  • kKNd #69 3 years ago

    Maybe it's becouse there were an official trial session some time ago. I also downloaded and tried a month ago. I actually liked it, but really. There are some good conceptions, and I like that it's much more mature then the other mmorpgs. Honestly, I was about to buy it... it's kinda cheap nowadays. But now I'm back to lotro, so AoC has to wait a bit.

  • warlockuk #70 3 years ago

    A month later and 8594 keys left. Wow. That's never happened before, even for shit games :)

    Shittier games.